The Health Benefits of Coffee are Seemingly Endless
I’ve read a lot over the past year about the positive health benefits that coffee brings to the table. I wrote a post about awhile back profiling some of the health benefits of coffee where I point out how coffee can actually be considered a very healthy drink. Coffee’s health benefits still amaze me today, and I’ve recently heard in the news and in several magazine articles about more studies conducted that point to even more positive results that a little old cup ‘o joe can have on your body.
Studies point to coffee being very effective at significantly lowering the risk of dementia in the elderly. Additionally, recent studies have pointed to coffee being a great preventative treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Scientists believe that coffee has a combination of useful vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and maybe most importantly caffeine. Caffeine has been shown to boost brain function when taken in moderation–this is especially true in the elderly.
I’ve even heard that as many as five cups of coffee per day is the best way to go. It wasn’t that long ago when most experts were saying that you should stick to 1-3 cups per day at the most. Now many scientists are saying that five cups each day can improve your brain function, give your body some much needed fiber, provides a good source of riboflavin and of course gives you that boost to get through the morning.
So what about the weight loss properties of coffee–is coffee fattening? The answer to that questions is simply “No”. Coffee is a healthy choice for those trying to lose weight. According to NutritionData.com, brewed coffee contains no fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and has just 5mg of sodium. One cup of black coffee is only about 2 calories. It’s important to point out, however, that not all coffee is created equal. If you go buy your Starbucks grande caffe mocha or some other similar drink each morning, you may be drinking as many as 400+ calories from that one drink alone! My advice, stick to basic brewed coffee. If you need a little sweetener, that’s ok too, but moderation is the key. Sticking to low-calorie sweeteners and cream will help keep the calorie count down as well.
So enjoy your coffee every morning. I know I do.
February 3rd, 2010 at 5:48 pm
Coffee not only tastes good but is also good for you – in moderation. A bit like red wine even though it has alcohol in it. I was always told that to drink a cup of coffee before I work out as it helps to break down the fat in the blood which is used as energy during a workout. Unsure if that is true though.
February 4th, 2010 at 6:53 am
I am confused a lot weather coffee is beneficial or harmful. I just cannot understand coz i have heard a lot from people that it is not good to drink coffee as it contains caffeine which harms the body. I am not sure weather to believe coffee is good or bad.
February 23rd, 2010 at 6:49 am
I would just like to add that caffeine tends to elevate blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure you might want to stick to decaf.
February 23rd, 2010 at 5:38 pm
It’s as cliche as it is true. Everything in moderation. I was a professional athlete for a while and I drank coffee every morning to prepare for my day’s training. It was one of the best things I did until I started drinking to0 much coffee. I suggest you just use common sense and not abuse coffee because if its caffeine content. Thanks, good post.
March 9th, 2010 at 7:42 am
I always thought coffee was bad for you with no positive effects from drinking it apart from keeping you going if you feel tired but there you go you have shown some more light on the hot drink
April 3rd, 2010 at 2:17 pm
I didn’t know coffee had such a large number of health benefits. I always thought that the loaded amounts of caffeine dehydrated the body.
April 7th, 2010 at 8:44 am
There are so many positive health benefits in having a coffee. While doing a work if we just have one cup of coffee that’s enough all the tiredness will go out and again comes a new energy, our mind will be refreshed again, gets good moods and good thoughts over work.