Coffee drinkers love their coffee. This, by itself is an excellent reason to drink coffee. However, there are many benefits for coffee drinkers aside from the taste and aroma of a good cup of Java. These include reduced risk of various types of cancer, type II diabetes and even a longer, healthier life.
Drinking Coffee Reduces the Risk of Prostate Cancer
As far back as 2011 we reported that drinking organic coffee reduces prostate cancer risk. At that time we reported that men who drank six of more cups of coffee a day had both a significantly lower risk of getting prostate cancer and a lower risk of developing metastatic and fatal prostate cancer. The research leading to these conclusions regarding coffee consumption and prostate cancer risk are available online.
1)Cancer Risks and Coffee Consumption
Coffee benefits regarding cancer are not limited to prostate cancer. Researchers have found that coffee drinkers also have lower risks of cancer of the endometrium, rectum, colon, liver, nose and throat. There is even evidence suggesting that drinking coffee reduces the risk of breast cancer.
2)Drinking Coffee Keeps You Awake and Gives You More Energy
The caffeine in coffee blocks adenosine receptors in the brain thus keeping a person awake. This effect falls by half about every six hours which is the half life of caffeine in the body. Thus, we use coffee to wake up in the morning and stay sharp in the afternoon. Unfortunately, drinking too much coffee too late in the day keeps us up at night. Research shows that in addition to keeping a person awake caffeine in coffee can improve athletic performance as well.
3)Type II Diabetes Risk Is Reduced in Coffee Drinkers
Another health issue that we reported as far back as 2011 is that coffee drinkers develop less diabetes. Specifically, drinking coffee reduces the risk of getting type II diabetes because drinking coffee increases the level of sex hormone-binding globulin in the body which in turn reduces the risk of type II diabetes. This effect is documented in folks who drink four cups a day and cuts the type II diabetes risk by half. This is another excellent reason to drink coffee!
4)Drinking Coffee Is Good for Your Brain
Drinking coffee keeps you awake and alert which is a good thing but coffee also has long term effects on the brain.
Research suggests that both Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease risks are reduced in coffee drinkers., A study by researchers published in 2023 shows that the caffeine in coffee reduces the risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease but is not effective in treating the condition once it develops. The preventative effect is dose dependent. In other words, the more coffee you drink and the more caffeine you ingest the stronger the effect of preventing Parkinson’s Disease.
Although the degree of protection varies according to which research study you consult, drinking coffee as correlated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease. A recent prospective study of Alzheimer’s Disease and coffee consumption showed that the more coffee subjects drank the lower their incidence of developing Alzheimer’s Disease. This is an important finding as it helps confirm findings of long-term observational studies of coffee drinking habits and Alzheimer’s Incidence.
5)Drinking Coffee Can Help Prevent Obesity
If you drink black coffee and avoid too much sugar, cream or other additives at your local coffee shop you will likely be successful in controlling your weight. However, simply by replacing your latte with non-caloric black coffee is not the end of how coffee may help weight management. Drinking coffee appears to help in how we develop fat stores and how we metabolize leading to less fat accumulation.
6)Drinking Coffee and Less Depression
Coffee drinkers are less likely that non coffee drinkers to suffer from depression. This effect works on two fronts. Coffee works in the short term to wake us up and keep us going. This is a positive effect short term for preventing depression. However, research has shown that caffeine affects brain chemicals that cause depression over the long term. Thus, by drinking coffee a person gets both short term and long-term protection.
7) Coffee Consumption and Liver Health
Research indicates that two of more cups of coffee a day are good for your liver. Liver enzyme levels are reduced resulting in less inflammation and collagen buildup. The result is less fibrosis, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Individuals with liver conditions live longer if they drink two or more cups of coffee a day. The link between coffee and liver disease is well established and an excellent reason to drink coffee!
8)Coffee Reduces the Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke
Recent research shows that folks who drink three to five cups of coffee a day have a mild reduction in heart disease risk, 15%. Several studies confirm that as few as three cups of coffee a day can lower a person’s risk of getting a stroke by a fifth! All in all, drinking coffee is not just enjoyable and a good way to stay alert but has numerous health benefits even more than the eight excellent reasons for drinking coffee that we listed in this article.