The research is in – coffee is good for both your brain and your body.
If you know that you can’t tolerate coffee, then don’t drink it. Not everyone metabolizes caffeine the same way so stick with tea or even hot water with a little lemon in it.
Otherwise, if you enjoy a cup or two of coffee, it looks like you are doing something that is actually good for you. We have been told conflicting things throughout the years but research seems conclusive that drinking a reasonable amount of coffee daily has many health benefits. Remember that it is the coffee that is healthy, not the sugar and fat that you might add with it. Taking a cup of coffee and turning it into a milkshake with whipped cream is not the best idea.
Action – Caffeine is a stimulant. Drinking coffee can improve your energy levels and help you think more clearly. For the same reason though, it can interfere with sleep patterns and make you jittery. Most people do well with up to three cups a day, and anything over four may not have the same health benefits. Experiment with your intake and see how quickly your body is able to metabolize the caffeine.
Steps – More is not always better. If you enjoy a cup first thing in the morning and that is enough, don’t feel the need to add more because of the reported health benefits. But if you have been cutting yourself off at one cup when you would really like to have two or three, gradually add more in and see how you feel.
Why It Makes You Feel Better – Coffee affects our brains. Many studies have shown a positive relationship between coffee intake and mood. General mental function is enhanced, along with memory, mood, and reaction time. Coffee actually has vitamins and minerals in it, like some of the B vitamins, magnesium and potassium. It is a seed after all.
Some of the other findings of coffee’s benefits include a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and certain types of cancer, a reduced risk of stroke, and protection from Alzheimer’s and dementia. It may also protect your liver. Coffee provides a high level of antioxidants in your diet, and can fight depression. A surprising study showed that coffee drinkers were much less likely to commit suicide.
The way that you brew coffee can matter. It is currently thought that it is best filtered through paper, like drip coffee, as opposed to made in a French press or boiled because that method may increase LDL cholesterol. Some studies have suggested a positive effect from boiled coffee though, like inhibiting diabetes.
Example – Drinking a cup of coffee before a workout can enhance performance, and having that cup before a big meeting can perk you up enough to make you productive and creative. Just remember that drinking coffee is a personal thing and there are physical reasons why some people can’t tolerate it. Drinking or eating something because you are told it is good for you when it makes you feel bad isn’t wise. But avoiding coffee because someone told you it wasn’t good for you isn’t necessary either.
Moderate coffee consumption is now being celebrated as part of a healthy lifestyle, so drink it knowing that you are doing something enjoyable that makes your body happy too.