Is coffee healthy? We reveal what's in it!
Perhaps it has already come to the ear of one or the other: Coffee is healthy! But what is actually true about this statement and can it really be generalized? We reveal the top 10 reasons why it can be healthy (ATTENTION) to drink coffee regularly!
How healthy is coffee really? The top 10 benefits!
If you browse through the internet, you will surely come across a lot of supposed benefits of coffee. Of course, due to the lack of long-term scientific studies, we can't make any guarantees about the following benefits of coffee, but we'd like to share with you our top 10 reasons why coffee is healthy.
1. antioxidants against heart attacks and strokes
According to a British study, coffee contains more than 1,000 bioactive substances that can have a positive effect on health. According to the study, three to four cups a day are ideal for preventing chronic diseases such as heart attacks or strokes and generally reducing the risk of cardiovascular complaints. This is especially true for women.
2. diabetes risk decreases
In particular, carriers of a special gene variant that inhibits an important intestinal hormone are at increased risk of diabetes. Coffee can help stimulate this hormone and thus contribute to risk reduction, at least at this level.
Coffee also has a positive effect on glucose tolerance as well as blood sugar levels. In addition, caffeine stimulates the insulin-producing cells. These two properties therefore contribute significantly to reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
3. coffee protects the skin from cell damage
In the course of a study in the USA, it was found that from 4 cups of coffee per day, the risk of skin cancer is reduced by about 20 percent!
The study was conducted over a period of ten years and in collaboration with around half a million people. The aim was to record and evaluate correlations between dietary habits and UV exposure. Among other things, it was found that certain ingredients in coffee apparently protect against cell damage caused by UVB radiation.
4. strengthens the concentration
Caffeine makes you more alert - that's a well-known fact. But why exactly is that the case?
The reason for this is its property to increase the neurotransmitters in our organism and make them more effective. This leads to increasing brain activity and has a positive effect on reaction time, attention span and concentration.
5. dementia & Alzheimer risk decreases
On to the next studies:
Coffee consumption is said to reduce the likelihood of developing dementia diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, according to various studies in Canada, the U.S., the Netherlands and Finland.
In addition, caffeine generally strengthens memory and slows mental decline.
6. caffeine against migraine/headache
Caffeine has a soothing effect on headaches or migraines. For this reason, some headache tablets now contain caffeine in addition to the pain-relieving active ingredients.
A tip from us:
If you want to get rid of your headache (including the unpleasant hangover headache) quickly and without pills, an espresso with a squeeze of lemon juice works wonders! Admittedly, the little anti-headache shot takes a little effort, but the effect is worth it: the caffeine in combination with the citric acid balances the electrolyte balance within a very short time, which will give you relief from your headache!
7. stimulates the metabolism
Those who want to do something good for their metabolism should also turn to black coffee. The caffeine - provided it is not taken with milk and sugar - stimulates the metabolism and promotes the digestive processes.
8. caffeine releases happiness hormones
Quite apart from the sensory aspects that play a role in the enjoyment of coffee and make us involuntarily happy, such as the smell and the taste, our beloved caffeine has another side effect on our minds: it stimulates the release of the body's own happiness hormones, releasing dopamine, among other things.
9. coffee can prevent tinnitus
Contrary to the old assumption that coffee would promote tinnitus, British researchers were able to determine with a study as early as 2010 that coffee does not aggravate chronic ringing in the ears.
Even more recently, in 2014 Canadian researchers even managed to show that caffeinated coffee can actually prevent tinnitus!
10. coffee lowers blood pressure
Too high blood pressure increases the risk of heart attack - that much is known. But did you know that if you are a non-smoker, you can lower your blood pressure with one cup of coffee a day? This may sound contradictory at first, considering that blood pressure initially rises in the short term after a cup of coffee. In the medium and long term, however, coffee ensures a permanent reduction in blood pressure and protects against cardiovascular damage.
This is the only way coffee is healthy
Despite the many advantages of coffee, some people unfortunately have difficulties with its tolerance. In most cases, it is the stomach that causes problems after coffee consumption.
This can have several causes, but they can be easily avoided:
Avoid industrially roasted coffee
Have you ever drunk coffee and afterwards got stomach problems?
Industrially roasted coffee is particularly unpleasant for the stomach. Here, the beans are roasted within 2-3 minutes at very high temperatures in order to be able to produce faster. However, this ensures that they are only externally roasted and not through to the core. The chlorogenic acid contained cannot be extracted from the beans within this short time, and it is precisely this acid that hits many people in the stomach.
What to do? It is always best to use gently roasted coffee. Here, much lower temperatures are used and over a period of up to 20 minutes. During long-term roasting, the chlorogenic acid is removed from the beans and you can enjoy your coffee without hesitation!
Is black coffee healthy?
It will hit some of you hard, but it's true: milk unfortunately makes our favorite drink much more unhealthy, even for people without lactose intolerance, who should avoid drinking any beverage with milk anyway. The reason for this is the amino acid methionine, which is contained in the animal proteins of milk. It inhibits the positive effects of coffee.
In addition, if you give up coffee in the afternoon because it otherwise gives you sleepless nights, this may also be due to the milk.
Because: coffee with milk prolongs the breakdown of caffeine in the body up to eight hours, while caffeine in black coffee is already broken down after half an hour to an hour!
How much coffee is actually healthy?
Finally, a word about the amount: As in most cases, this can not be said as a general rule. However, the best you can do here is between three and five cups of coffee a day.
VERY IMPORTANT:
Of course, this guideline only applies to perfectly healthy people. Always consult your family doctor and always be aware of the influence of caffeine on your body in certain diseases! It is not for nothing that you should avoid caffeinated coffee during pregnancy, for example, and caffeine is also not recommended for children.
Fortunately, thanks to decaffeinated coffee, one is not completely denied the pleasure!
As always, everything in moderation! In this sense: Cheers and to your health!
