Is Coffee Good for You?

As one of the world’s most drunk non-alcoholic beverages, coffee is still a product whose health benefits are not widely known. For many of its ardent followers, a day can never start without a mug full of this almost magical liquid. While you may have heard of its negative effects, like staining of teeth and increased dependency rates, coffee, like many other drinks, is good in moderation. While we are aware of caffeine as being the substance that symbolizes the coffee, it is in fact made up of many different active substances and antioxidants, and they all help in the many beneficial effects of coffee drinking.

Some of the benefits perceived commonly are wakefulness and improved energy levels. The other benefits in our body such the heart, liver, brain have been theorized and have been studied as part of scientific research. One positive effect of coffee is that it can help reduce liver damage caused by alcohol and unhealthy food consumption. From nine different studies, results showed that out of 430,000 participants, those that drank two cups of coffee a day were linked to having 44% less of a chance at developing liver cirrhosis, which is chronic liver damage due to liver fibrosis and failure. Compared to no coffee at all, it has shown a linear correlation of coffee consumption to liver cirrhosis. One cup results in 22% lower risk, two cups down to 44%, 57% for three cups and 65% chance for four cups. 

Coffee grains are also a beneficial multipurpose product and can be used as home remedies. Coffee may help with reducing the appearance of cellulite by dilating blood vessels under the skin to improve blood flow. It has anti-aging benefits by decreasing the appearance of spots, redness and fine lines. It is a source of vitamin B-3 that aids with reducing nonmelanoma skin cancers.

Coffee also contains compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties which aid in disease reduction. However, that does not mean that drinking coffee will fix any issues resulting from excessive weight gain, alcoholism, an unhealthy diet, or health issues. Think of coffee with similar effects to tea or vitamins. They have positive effects to help your health but do not solve them, so it is crucial to understand that even while drinking coffee, health maintenance is important. The positive results are most effective while drinking straight coffee, the use of additional products in your coffee like the sugar, or all the ingredients in your caramel macchiato, may not provide optimal effects in lowering the chance of disease. 

References:

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.117.007155

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5440772/

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/what-is-it-about-coffee

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/coffee-and-health/faq-20058339

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/9-reasons-why-the-right-amount-of-coffee-is-good-for-you