Yes, you read that correctly: coffee can actually be good for you. What is one thing billions of people in the world have in common? They drink coffee. People love coffee. We wake up and it’s the first thing we think about. And if you’re like some of us, busting away in college and staying up until 2 a.m. writing philosophy papers, then you most likely have a very intimate relationship with coffee. Well, you’re in luck! You no longer have to feel guilty after drinking that third cup of coffee in a day, because coffee has some serious health benefits.
Believe it or not, people have been drinking coffee since the 10th century, and it is thought to have originated in Ethiopia[1]. Throughout history, people have recognized coffee’s “energizing” and “stimulating” effects, claiming it to be some sort of miracle drug. It was common for coffee to be incorporated into many medical diagnoses as the almighty “cure” for common ailments. Currently, people drink coffee just to get out of bed, or to stay awake throughout those long, arduous days. And if you’re really hardcore, you drink plain coffee for its taste!
With over 400 billion cups of coffee consumed annually, coffee is the world’s most popular drink[2]. More and more research is beginning to reveal coffee is not an evil, caffeinated drug that non-coffee drinkers warn you about. It’s actually a whole lot more. So when your friends chastise you about that third cup, you can tell them you’re actually in the midst of improving your health. Below are some of the possible health benefits coffee has to offer:
- Lowered risk for cardiovascular disease: in 36 studies with more than 1,270,000 participants, those who consumed 3-5 cups a day were at the lowest risk for cardiovascular problems.[3]
- Lowered risk for liver cancer: coffee consumption lowers the risk of liver cancer by about 40%.[2]
- Lowered risk of diabetes: may be protective against type 2 diabetes by increasing the plasma levels of the protein sex hormone-binding globulin, which prevents the development of diabetes.[2]
- Lowered risk of Parkinson’s disease: higher coffee intake can lower the risk, and for those with Parkinson’s, the caffeine in coffee may help control movement.[2]
- Lowered risk of liver disease: can reduce the risk of primary sclerosis cholangitis and protect against cirrhosis.[2]
- Big source of antioxidants (which are good for us!)
- Lowered risk for certain cancers, such as prostate and breast cancers.[3]
With all these benefits associated with coffee, some have even said that moderate coffee drinking may even prevent premature death. Of course, there is a catch! Too much of anything is always bad, so don’t go drink a gallon of coffee! And, all of these benefits come from drinking coffee – black coffee. Peppermint mochas do not count! But, overall, if you are at all worried about drinking coffee because it might be bad for you, there is nothing to fret about. There is almost no evidence at all that coffee will do us harm – aside from those caffeine jitters.