The secret to better health, a better mood, and a better body may be in your morning cup of coffee. Numerous studies have confirmed coffee’s superfood status, noting the neurological, psychological, and physical benefits to those who commit to at least one cup per day. The key lies in coffee’s ability to fight systemic inflammation — reduced inflammation helps regular drinkers live longer, healthier lives. To learn more about coffee’s benefits on the mind, body, and soul, read on.*
Mind
Next time you are considering a detox that includes forgoing coffee, take a second to revisit that thought. Studies have shown that drinking 1-4 cups of coffee per day protects the brain from numerous debilitating diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (-65% risk for regular drinkers) and Parkinson’s disease (decreases between -32-60% for regular coffee drinkers). In addition to brain disease prevention, coffee aids the brain by boosting short-term memory for up to 24 hours, increasing reaction time and cognitive function, and by alleviating headache / migraine pain by constricting capillaries.
Body
Burn fat, reduce cancer risk, and get tighter, softer skin? Check. Check. Check. Coffee’s salubrious benefits are plentiful!
Drinking coffee
If you’ve been following the US news lately, you’ve likely heard about California’s recent decision requiring coffee to come with a cancer warning. While roasted coffee contains trace amounts of acrylamide, a potential carcinogen, the amount is negligible and less than what you would consume by eating baked crackers, fries, or cereal. More compellingly, countless studies have shown coffee’s extraordinary ability to reduce regular coffee drinkers’ risk of cancer while prolonging and improving their quality of life. Drinking multiple cups of coffee per day has been shown to reduce one’s risk of developing liver cancer, breast and endometrial cancers, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and melanoma. In addition to cancer prevention, a daily dose also protects against liver cirrhosis and reduces risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to -50%. For those suffering from diabetes, drinking coffee reduced risk of death, over a 20-year period, by a -30%.
There is more good news when it comes to matters of the heart. Drinking coffee lowers risk of stroke, heart failure, and high blood pressure. Moving down the body a bit, coffee may protect against periodontal disease by killing bacteria on the teeth and reduce risk of gout (up to -40% for women and -50% for men) and gallbladder disease. When speaking of the heart, weight often comes up as a key trigger for heart disease – well, more good news here! We all know that drinking coffee increases energy levels and improves athletic performance, but few realize that it also increases metabolic rate by up to +11% in those who are obese and up to +29% in lean individuals.
Topical application
Don’t be afraid to scrub yourself down with coffee grounds! The antioxidants found in coffee are great for tightening and exfoliating skin (bye-bye cellulite!). You can also use your old grounds to make wonderful puff-reduction under-eye masks, body scrubs, and scalp cleaners. If you are eager for more, please visit our body scrub recipe or follow our blog – we have more great beauty tips ready to post!
Soul
Oh, happy days are here again! (As long as you are holding that cup of coffee!) We’ve discussed the physical and neurological benefits of coffee and, if that weren’t enough to make you smile, we’re happy to share that coffee also helps raise the spirit! People who drink at least 2 cups of coffee daily are +7 more likely to spot positive words; those who drink at least 4 cups of coffee daily are -53% less likely to commit suicide. Ladies, it gets better for you, drinking 4 cups of coffee per day reduces your risk of depression by +20%. If 4 cups seem too aggressive, fear not! You also receive benefits from merely smelling coffee, including increased awareness and decreased levels of stress.
There you have it – it’s a mouthful but we hope this blog entry provided the information you need to wholeheartedly indulge your coffee addiction. If you would like more information on the coffee and health-related studies, please visit our reference page.
*For source references, please refer to our Coffee and Health page.
**While coffee has numerous health benefits, results vary by individual and over-consumption of coffee may negatively impact health.
Coffee with the Queen 