Five Reasons to Drink Coffee
"Coffee" – the first word out of many of our mouths on many of our days. In recent years, the Western obsession with the sacred bean has percolated into China, with specialty coffee shops cropping up all over the city alongside the ubiquitous branches of Starbucks and Costa.
If you already drink coffee, it’s probable that you don’t need to hear any more reasons to continue to do so. We’ve laid some out anyway, just in case you were looking for some good excuses to drink more. Whether you're an instant coffee fanatic or allow only hand-dripped, single-origin coffee into your body temple, there's a chance your caffeine habit might be doing your long-term health favors.
It gets you going
Just as having a winding-down routine at the end of the day can help you fall asleep, having a morning ritual can also help you get in the zone for whatever demands your energy for the day.
If the ritual of preparing and drinking coffee (not to mention the caffeine buzz it gives you) helps you to start your morning off on the right foot, then that's all the more reason to allow it to do so.
It’s full of antioxidants
It’s possible that not all of you know what antioxidants are, but you’re probably aware that they’re good for you. Antioxidants are agents that prevent the oxidation of cells – a process related to aging.
Coffee, both regular and decaf, is full of antioxidants, and it’s possible that they can help combat cell decay, keeping your cells healthy and your whole system running normally.
It can stave off Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's disease
Many studies have shown that the more coffee you drink, the lower your risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia.
Results from these studies have varied, but some have observed as much as a 65% reduction in the risk of developing these diseases. It is thought that it’s the caffeine in coffee that does the trick, as decaf coffee drinkers don’t show the same benefits.
It can prevent type II diabetes
A review led by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health of 15 different studies revealed a correlation between people who reported drinking lots of coffee and their likelihood of developing type II diabetes.
Those in the study who drank more than six or seven cups a day were 35% less likely to develop type II diabetes compared to participants who drank two cups or fewer.
It can reduce your risk of heart disease
Another study, this one carried out by the Harvard School of Public Health, concluded that people who drank four cups of coffee a day were 11% less likely to suffer from heart failure than non-coffee drinkers.
Because diabetes can increase the risk of heart disease, it’s also possible that the reduced risk of diabetes that coffee has shown to provide contributes to the link between coffee and heart failure.
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Coffee's not for everyone. It can be hard to stomach for people with digestive issues, and can worsen symptoms of osteoporosis. If you want something else to sip, check out our reasons to drink green tea, instead.
Want to make sure your consumption of other beverages doesn't come back to haunt you? Consult our guide to avoiding hangovers.
Looking for ways to wind down instead of perk up? Read about these apps that can help you fall asleep.