According to science, the most significant health benefits of coffee are supporting heart health, protecting the liver, and lowering the risk of Type 2 diabetes. But that’s not all! Read the full article for several more reasons to ignore the naysayers and keep drinking coffee.
If coffee is your favorite pick-me-up, I’ve got some excellent news for you! You can stop listening to that inner voice that keeps telling you coffee is bad for you. According to science, coffee is actually good for your health.
The composer, Johann Sebastian Bach, spoke for many of us when he said, “Without my morning coffee, I’m just like a dried-up piece of roast goat.” Clearly, Americans are in total agreement because we consume about 400 million cups of the stuff each day. We certainly drink our share at Goose Creek Homestead!
Thankfully, science has heard our cries of desperation and proven that coffee contains numerous potential health benefits. It turns out that coffee is incredibly complex. In fact, it contains at least 1,000 compounds that can have an effect on our bodies.
Of course, we’re all familiar with caffeine… the stuff the keeps us awake during those Monday morning meetings. But, did you know that it also stimulates the nervous system and improves cognitive function? Not to mention the polyphenols, which are potent antioxidants that can protect against cellular damage.
Now that I’ve got your attention, let’s take a deeper dive into the numerous reasons to keep drinking coffee, and the scientific studies to back up the claims!
Here’s What Science Says About the Health Benefits of Coffee
Coffee is so incredibly complex that researchers can’t always determine which compounds are responsible for producing the health benefits shown in their studies. However, the evidence is clear that drinking coffee can provide the following benefits.
1. Coffee can protect against Type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes has become a major health concern in the United States, and millions of people suffer from it worldwide. People with this disease have elevated blood sugar levels resulting from insulin resistance and an inability to produce enough insulin.
Although science isn’t sure why, there is evidence that coffee drinkers have a significantly lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Studies show that people who drink several cups of coffee daily can reduce their risk significantly.
According to this extensive review of 18 studies involving 457,922 participants, every cup of coffee consumed each day lowered their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 7%. How’s that for a good reason to keep drinking coffee?
2. Coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing heart disease.
Heart disease is another common issue in the United States and around the globe, most likely due to pore dietary choices. Although changing your diet will probably have a bigger impact, there is significant evidence to show that drinking coffee can lower your risk of developing heart disease as well.
One study performed by Korean researchers found that people who consumed 3 to 5 cups of the beverage every day were less likely to develop the early signs of the disease. Another study conducted in Brazil backed up those findings and showed that coffee drinkers are less prone to calcification in the coronary arteries.
And, a recent study performed in 2019 proved that drinking as much as 25 cups of coffee a day won’t cause hardening of the arteries. While most of us are not going to consume anywhere near that amount, it’s good to know that your daily habit of two or three cups is actually good for your heart!
3. Drinking coffee protects the liver.
Let’s be realistic. Drinking coffee doesn’t make it okay for you to overindulge on alcoholic beverages. However, there is significant evidence to show that coffee (even if it’s decaffeinated) can protect against cirrhosis of the liver caused by hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and other conditions.
A study published by the Hepatology Journal showed that drinking coffee every day lowered the level of liver enzymes. Here’s another study that demonstrated coffee’s liver protecting abilities, and there’s another one here, as well.
4. Coffee can protect against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and Dementia.
If you’ve ever watched a loved one suffer from a neurodegenerative disease, you already know how heartbreaking it can be. Alzheimer’s is the leading cause of dementia across the globe. It’s most common in people over 65, and there is no known cure at this point.
Thankfully there are things you can do to lower your risk of developing Alzheimer’s, starting with changing your diet and getting adequate exercise. Drinking coffee may also reduce your risk significantly.
Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, and there’s no known cure for it either. Studies show that drinking coffee lowers the risk of developing Parkinson’s significantly.
It should be known that decaffeinated coffee doesn’t seem to have the same benefits for neurological disorders as caffeinated. Since there is no known cure for these terrible diseases of the mind, we should all be taking steps to prevent them, and it seems drinking coffee might be an excellent place to start.
5. Drinking coffee may lower the risk of some types of cancer.
Cancer is a leading cause of death throughout the world. Sadly, this disease often strikes without warning, and the treatments are often harder on the body than the disease itself.
While coffee isn’t going to be the answer for all types of cancer, it does appear to offer some protection against colorectal cancer and liver cancer. Liver cancer is the third most common cause of cancer death across the globe, and colorectal cancer is the fourth, so coffee’s benefits in this area are a really big deal.
There are studies (here and here) that show that coffee drinkers are 40% less likely to develop liver cancer. And, another study with 489,706 participants showed that people who drink 4 or 5 cups of coffee daily had a 15% reduced risk of developing colorectal cancer.
6. Coffee drinkers live longer.
Since coffee drinkers are less likely to develop many life-threatening illnesses, it makes sense that drinking coffee may help you live longer, but there’s more to it than that. There have been several studies that show a lower risk of death for coffee drinkers.
One study done by Harvard University showed that drinking 1-5 cups of coffee every day lowers your risk of dying early by 24%. Another study done in Japan confirmed increased longevity in coffee drinkers. In 2017, an American study and another European study both confirmed that people who drink coffee live longer than people who don’t.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Health Benefits of Coffee
Now, let’s look a little deeper into the most commonly asked questions about coffee’s health benefits.
Where do coffee’s health benefits come from?
The list of coffee’s health benefits goes on and on. On top of all the benefits listed above, when I was researching this article, I found studies that show coffee could prevent periodontal disease, protect against skin cancer, prevent cavities, stop retinal damage, and even lower the risk of gout.
Clearly, coffee is not the serious risk to our health that we previously thought. But where are the benefits coming from? It turns out coffee’s health benefits come from the naturally occurring antioxidants found in coffee beans.
Coffee is one of the leading providers of antioxidants in the American diet. In fact, it has more antioxidants per serving than oranges, raspberries, blueberries, or grape juice.
Antioxidants are important because they reduce inflammation throughout the body, which in turn reduces the risk of illnesses like cancer and heart disease that are associated with inflammation.
Does decaffeinated coffee have the same benefits as caffeinated coffee?
Although decaffeinated coffee does have some benefits, caffeinated coffee offers more health benefits than decaffeinated. Why? Unfortunately, many beneficial antioxidants in coffee are removed during the decaffeination process.
Can coffee help you lose weight and burn fat?
Yes, coffee can help you lose weight and burn fat. Caffeine is added to fat burning supplements for a reason. It is indeed one of the few natural substances that’s known to assist fat burning and boost your metabolism.
Is it ok to drink coffee every day, and how many cups of coffee can I have?
As you can see from the studies cited above, it is perfectly ok to drink coffee every day, as long as you use moderation and don’t have a health condition that’s worsened by it. Our research shows that most people can have four 8-ounce cups of coffee per day without adverse effects.
Some Final Things to Keep in Mind
Keep in mind that drinking coffee every day is no substitute for leading a healthy lifestyle. You still need to eat a healthy diet, get plenty of exercise, and keep your stress levels to a manageable level.
You should also remember that the research cited above is for the benefits of black coffee that hasn’t been doctored up with sugar. Most of the drinks at your local coffee shop are full of unhealthy fat and refined sugar. Our advice? Learn how to make the most popular coffee drinks at home so that you can control the calories and type of fat yourself.
If you suffer from acid reflux, drinking caffeinated coffee might make it worse. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can irritate your stomach lining, worsening heartburn and indigestion, especially if you’re already prone to these issues.
People who suffer insomnia and other sleep disorders should only drink regular coffee in the morning. And, there is some evidence that caffeine may worsen the symptoms of osteoporosis, so use caution if that’s an issue for you. It’s also widely recommended that pregnant women avoid caffeine as much as possible during their entire pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
So, What’s the Bottom Line?
While you’re probably never going to see doctors prescribing coffee for its health benefits, there are lots of good reasons to keep drinking two or three cups of coffee each day. For most people, the health benefits of coffee far outweigh any risks, as long as you don’t go overboard. Combining coffee with a healthy lifestyle may help you live longer and prevent disease. Don’t hesitate to pour a few cups throughout the day if it’s something you enjoy!
