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We all know that coffee contains caffeine, a substance that helps us stay awake and alert whenever we need to be. But, that's not all there is to it. Recent studies have shown that drinking coffee on a regular basis is actually good for our health. Betcha didn't know that coffee can help prevent diabetes, heart diseases, and even lower your risk of developing dementia, Parkinson's, and Alzheimer's disease. 

Let's look at some of the most notable health benefits of coffee, shall we? 

❶ Get Better Heart Health ❶

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Contrary to popular belief that coffee can cause heart problems, it can actually help keep the heart healthy. Several studies have shown that moderate drinking of coffee actually reduces the risk of coronary heart disease in women. More research on this has also shown that higher consumption of coffee lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. However, if you are already suffering from a heart condition, you should avoid foods and beverages with a high content of caffeine. 

Obviously, coffee is not the panacea to heart diseases. It can only help but not completely eliminate your chances of developing one. You need a combination of healthy lifestyle and proper diet, as well as good genes, for that.

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.

❷ Blood Sugar Management ❷

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Diabetes is one of the most common diseases in both adults and children. In fact, around 8% of adults over the age of 18 (worldwide) are affected by this disease. Some studies have been made regarding the effect of coffee in relation to blood sugar management. And lo and behold, the results show that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type II diabetes. In one study, participants were asked to drink coffee at least thrice a day. When the results of the study came in, it was found out that the risk of these participants of developing type II diabetes was reduced by as much as 42%. Of course, that means no sugar or minimal use of sugar in their coffee. If you really can't drink your coffee black, you can substitute white sugar with healthier sweeteners. 

❸ Improves Mental Sharpness and Alertness ❸

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The caffeine in coffee acts as a stimulant to the nervous system. Upon drinking coffee, the caffeine travels all the way to the brain and fires up the neurons, thus increasing energy metabolism all throughout the brain. Additionally, drinking a cup of coffee is one of the best way to stay awake while studying for a test. So, it will not only help you focus but also keep you alert and awake. 

❹ Helps Burn Fat and Improve Physical Performance ❹

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Multiple studies have shown that drinking coffee can positively affect your weight loss as it actually helps burn unwanted fat--at a faster rate--by increasing your metabolism. The caffeine in the coffee stimulates the nervous system which causes it to signal the fat cells to break down undesired body fat. 

Aside from breaking down body fat, it also increases the epinephrine (adrenaline) levels in the blood, which is dubbed as the fight-or-flight hormone. This hormone prepares the body for extreme physical exertion. The body actually gets its extra fuel from the fatty acids from the body fats that were broke down by the caffeine in the coffee. So, it's really no wonder that a quick shot of caffeine gives us a boost in energy and even improves our physical performance. With that said, you may want to drink a cup of strong coffee at least half an hour before heading to the gym.

❺ A Great Source of Essential Nutrients and Antioxidants ❺

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You may not know it but coffee is a nutritional powerhouse. In fact, a single cup of coffee contains these essential nutrients:

• Riboflavin (11% of the RDA)
• Manganese (3% of the RDA)
• Pantothenic acid (6% of the RDA)
• Potassium (3% of the RDA)
• Magnesium (2% of the RDA)
• Niacin (2% of the RDA)

It's also a well-known fact that coffee is rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are the ones responsible for fighting premature skin aging as they preventing or delaying cell damage. So--in a sense--coffee keeps us healthy and pretty at the same time! 

❻ Protection Against Dementia And Alzheimer's Disease ❻

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Alzheimer's Disease or dementia is a type of disease that affects the memory, behavior, and thinking of an individual. This disease commonly affects the elderly. The symptoms, however, are very slow to develop and get worse over time--until it is severe enough that it hinders a person's ability to function properly. It is a devastating disease not just to the sufferer but also to their family and friends. 

Researchers have found out the drinking as much as 3 to 5 cups of coffee everyday in your middle aged years may actually help prevent dementia or at least reduce your chances of developing this disease by as much as 65%. This is one of the most compelling reasons why we need to drink coffee when we're in our 40s and 50s.

❼ Prevents the Development of Parkinson's Disease ❼

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Parkinson's disease is a type of progressive chronic disorder that involves the malfunction of certain neurons or brain nerve cells. Just like dementia, the symptoms of this disease only gets worse over time. The cause is also still unknown and, unfortunately, there is no known cure for it up to this day. 

While there is no way to permanently cure this disorder, there are ways to prevent it from happening in the first place--and drinking coffee is one of them. Numerous studies show that higher consumption of coffee can significantly reduce the incidence of Parkinson's disease. 

This, along with reduction in cases of dementia, proves that coffee is an essential drink in our old age to help prevent or at least lower our chances of developing age-related disorders and diseases, such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and Parkinson's disease.    

Final Thoughts

All of the above mentioned health benefits should be enough to convince you to drink coffee everyday. However, just as newly crowned Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray said,

Everything is good but in moderation.

3 to 4 cups a day will do the trick. Don't overdo it, otherwise, you may end up with health problems.

Here are 5 delicious iced coffee recipes that you may want to try.

Video Credit: The Domestic Geek via Youtube

 

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Thanks for reading! Have a wonderful day ahead of you and keep smiling. :)

Written by Chineyes for bitLanders

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