5 Health Benefits of Coffee

Did you know that Americans drink about 146 billion cups of coffee each year? That equates to about 40 million cups of coffee per day!¹

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the United States with teenagers, college students, and adults alike. Here are some health benefits of drinking coffee!

May Help with Depression

One health benefit of coffee is that it may help reduce feelings of depression. This is because the polyphenols and antioxidants in coffee act as an antidepressant. Specifically, a study found that those who drank four or more cups of coffee per day were 24 percent less likely to get depression than those who did not drink coffee.²

Medical professionals also say that the caffeine in coffee can help give the drinker energy, which can help those struggling with depressing mood swings. Further, coffee helps lessen the severity of depression symptoms. However, if you believe that you might be struggling with clinical depression, consult with a medical professional and do not rely on coffee alone for self-medication.³

Lower Risk of Diabetes

Another health benefit of coffee is that it may help lower your risk of having type two diabetes. Thirty studies conducted found that with each cup of coffee you consume, you lower your risk of getting type two diabetes.⁴

One reason coffee might reduce diabetes risk is it helps with the function of the beta cells in the pancreas, which produces insulin to maintain blood levels. Coffee’s antioxidants may positively affect inflammation and metabolism, which are partially responsible for developing type two diabetes.⁵

Improved Heart Health

An additional health benefit of coffee is that it may improve your heart health. A 2021 study by the American Heart Association found that drinking one or more cups of black coffee per day reduces the chance of having heart failure.⁶

A group of 36 studies found that those who drink between three and five cups of coffee per day had a lower chance of getting heart disease. Medical professionals believe that this is due to the fact that coffee helps improve blood flow in the blood vessels.⁷

Lowers Skin Cancer Risk

Another health benefit of coffee is that it may lower your chance of getting basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer. Two studies found that those who had three or more cups of caffeinated coffee per month were 17 percent less likely to get cancer than those who did not drink coffee.⁸

Another study conducted found that those who drank four or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day were 20 percent less likely to develop melanoma. All three of these studies, however, found that if you drink decaffeinated coffee, you do not receive the same benefits.⁹

Lower Risk of Liver Diseases

An additional health benefit of coffee is that it lowers your risk of developing liver diseases. Research shows that if you drink coffee, you have a lower risk of having fatty liver disease, fibrosis, and liver cancer.¹⁰

According to medical professionals, coffee is thought to prevent liver cancer because of the antioxidants and anti-inflammatories found in coffee.¹¹ Antioxidants prevent free radicals, which are unstable molecules that cause disease, and harmful chemicals from causing cancer or other diseases in our bodies.¹²

Ways to Drink Coffee

There are a variety of ways you could drink coffee. Here are some examples you could try:

Try different roasts (light, medium, or dark)
Drink black coffee
Add your milk of choice
Add a flavoring syrup
Add creamer

Try to avoid adding excess sugars and flavorings in your coffee for a healthier lifestyle. The less unhealthy ingredients you add to your drink, the healthier your coffee will be.

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Saber Healthcare is an organization dedicated to providing consultant services to long-term care providers. This article is for informational purposes and is not meant to be seen as professional advice. Please consult with a medical expert before relying on the information provided.

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