The good news for my coffee lovers is that this beloved drink-only 2 calories per 8-ounce cup-provides various health benefits. Here are six, as well as some potential problems that need attention and how to adapt to decaffeination.
A study a few years ago confirmed what many of us intuitively thought: coffee is a kind of happy juice. Researchers have found that drinking coffee is related to positive emotions, including happiness, kindness, affection, satisfaction, friendship, calmness and, yes, happiness. The results also show that there is no negative emotion related to coffee consumption.
Another study of more than 50,000 women in Harvard University found that the risk of depression decreased with the increase of caffeinated coffee intake.
Coffee beans are actually seeds in a small bright red or yellow fruit. Seeds and fruits are rich in antioxidants. In fact, a study found that coffee is the biggest contributor to the total intake of antioxidants.
This may be because 65% of American adults say they drink coffee, while only one in ten people eat at least the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables every day. In other words, coffee is the main source of antioxidants by default.
However, antioxidants in coffee are related to health protection. Chlorogenic acid is a rich polyphenol in coffee, which has been proved to reduce inflammation and may play a key role in preventing chronic diseases including obesity.
In case you want to know about coffee cherries, you can turn them into compost or dry them to make tea. It is also used in energy drinks and other products, because this fruit also contains caffeine.
A meta-analysis of 30 studies published 20 18 years ago concluded that coffee consumption was negatively correlated with the risk of type 2 diabetes. The researchers found that every additional cup of coffee a day reduced the risk of illness by 6%. Scientists say that the possible reasons for this connection include the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of coffee, its ability to promote calorie burning, and its influence on the content and diversity of intestinal microorganisms to protect health.
Studies have shown that drinking coffee can prevent certain cancers, including breast cancer, colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer and prostate cancer, as well as heart disease and Parkinson's disease. Drinking coffee/caffeine for life is also related to preventing cognitive decline and reducing the risk of stroke.
In terms of brain health, caffeinated coffee can improve alertness and memory for up to 24 hours after drinking.
Several studies have shown that moderate caffeine can improve sports performance. Effects include improving blood circulation, increasing muscle strength, endurance and strength, and relieving pain. This may help you to work harder in sports, so as to better improve your muscle strength and/or endurance.
A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that when athletes ingest carbohydrates and caffeine at the same time after strenuous exercise, the storage of muscle carbohydrates will be replenished faster. Compared with carbohydrate alone, this combination increased muscle glycogen (storage form of carbohydrate) by 66% 4 hours after strenuous exercise. This surge in energy reserves improves your ability to work harder and/or longer the next time you are ready to raise your heart rate.
For a long time, caffeine has been criticized as dehydration because of its diuretic effect, which leads to the loss of body fluids. However, new research shows that after drinking caffeine for about four days, your body will adjust to offset the effects of dehydration. The trick is, you must be consistent. In other words, if you sometimes drink a cup of coffee in the morning, sometimes drink three cups, or occasionally reach for it in the afternoon, you may feel the side effects of diuresis, such as headache and lack of energy.
After quitting caffeine, I began to sleep better and my energy uniformity improved. Stimulated by caffeine, I also feel that my energy level is more suitable. Fortunately, decaffeinated coffee is still good for health, such as antioxidants, disease protection (including preventing type 2 diabetes) and even improving alertness. Therefore, if you like coffee like me, but caffeine doesn't suit you, you can still get many rewards in the form of decaffeinated coffee.
How caffeine affects your body is related to your genes. After increasing the intake of caffeinated coffee, people with slow caffeine metabolism actually increase the risk of heart attack, hypertension and pre-diabetes, while people with fast metabolism do not bring these risks. For people with slow metabolism, research also shows that caffeine can inhibit sports performance, rather than improve sports performance.
Testing for genetic mutations that affect caffeine metabolism is usually not something you can ask your doctor. But research-based tests can be obtained through a company called Nutrigenomix.
For some people, caffeine can also cause digestive system irritation, including heartburn, stomach discomfort, anxiety, rapid heartbeat and rebound fatigue. Finally, drinking coffee during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight, premature delivery and miscarriage.
If you like coffee, please enjoy its benefits. But stick to it and don't overdo it-drink no more than five 8-ounce cups a day (Starbucks' five short cups or 2.5 large ones). In addition, avoid using artificial sweeteners or adding a lot of bad additives such as sugar to tamper with them. If you drink regular coffee, don't mix it with other stimulants, and stop caffeine at least six hours before bed to optimize your sleep (even if you don't think it will affect you).
Like many things related to nutrition, the best advice is to listen to your body. If you suspect that caffeine will cause some bad effects or limit your performance, please try decaffeinated. Besides, don't forget that there is water, which should always be your main and most frequent drink.