Coffee, like red wine, is a drink with both health benefits and dangers. Because coffee contains caffeine, which is a stimulant, it can increase the heart rate, boost adrenaline and up your cortisone levels. With this increased stimulation comes both pros and cons.
To learn more about the health impact of coffee, keep reading for 10 critical health facts about coffee.
1. Reduced Risk of Developing Alzheimer's Disease
A recent study published in the European Journal of Neurology shows that people who drank about 2 cups of coffee per day were less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease when compared to people who only drank a cup a day or less.
2. Better Cognitive Performance
There may be another reason why students guzzle coffee during late-night study sessions - those who drink coffee regularly often perform better on short term memory recall, verbal memory and logical reasoning tests.
3. Increased Constipation
While coffee is a stimulant and can therefore stimulate the bowels, it is also a diuretic, meaning it can dehydrate the body and contribute to constipation. However, alternative medical practitioners often prescribe coffee enemas to clear out the colon.
4. Antioxidants
Coffee contains a number of antioxidants, particularly methylpyridinium which is formed during the roasting process.
5. Increased Anxiety or Sleep Problems
People suffering from anxiety or insomnia should not drink large amounts of coffee or caffeine products, especially after noon. Because it's a stimulant, it can keep you up and give you coffee jitters if drunk in excess.
6. Reduced Risk for Parkinson's Disease
A recent study showed that heavy coffee drinkers, those drinking more than 3 cups a day, were less likely to develop Parkinson's Disease when compared to non coffee drinkers or light drinkers.
7. Increased Cholesterol
The health risk of increased cholesterol only applies to coffee brewed with a French press. Coffee made with a regular paper filter tends to trap the brew's natural oils, therefore not causing as high of a cholesterol risk.
8. Reduced Risk for Gout
Thanks to its diuretic and stimulant properties, regular coffee consumption has been shown to reduce the incidence of gout in men.
9. Stained Teeth
Coffee will stain your teeth. While this isn't a health risk, it can adversely affect your teeth and their natural enamel. No doubt your dentist will routinely remind you of this drawback.
10. Pain Killer
If you read the ingredients for many over-the-counter painkiller medications, you'll see they contain caffeine. This is because coffee and caffeine increase the effectiveness of these medications despite the need to be cautious of excess.
