11 Science-Backed Benefits of Consuming Coffee

There is no doubt that coffee is one of the most popular beverages on the planet, with more than a billion people enjoying coffee’s unique flavors and aromas. If one sticks to the basics – sans sugary and fatty ingredients – coffee can also be one of the healthiest drinks one can get. For doubters out there, here are 11 science-backed benefits of consuming coffee.

1.  Burns Fat

There are many fat-burning supplements on the market containing caffeine. It proves caffeine’s proven lipolytic properties and boosts the metabolic rate by as much as 11%.

Studies show that caffeine stimulates lipolysis among athletes, favoring stored body fat rather than the glycogen in skeletal muscles. Endurance athletes rely on caffeine’s fat-burning efficiency to provide them with sustained energy.

If athletes demand coffee in their routine, why shouldn’t ordinary mortals? As long as people stop adding sugar, sweeteners, and other unnecessary ingredients in their coffee, fat-burning is a cinch.

2.  Boosts Energy

As mentioned above, athletes and outdoor enthusiasts love to start their activities with coffee. This beverage contains caffeine that boosts the body’s sympathetic nervous system, utilizing energy efficiently.

Research shows that coffee enhances the firing of nerve cells by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine. It also blocks adenosine’s inhibitory action on the nervous system.

Drinking the right coffee drink before, during, and after an intense physical activity not only provides long-lasting energy. It can also speed up tissue repair and regeneration processes.

3.  Improves Cognitive Processes

Coffee’s stimulant effects not only boost energy and ensure stamina. Caffeine can also improve various cognitive processes by stimulating the production and release of select neurotransmitters.

Studies show that caffeine can improve vigilance and alertness, which outdoor enthusiasts, security personnel, law enforcers, and emergency personnel need. It also improves target detection and tracking, something that hunters and members of the military highly value.

Research also indicates that caffeine can enhance visual reaction times. Anyone involved in high-risk situations will value having coffee on his side.

4.  Protects Against Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

The World Health Organization says that at least ten million people are newly diagnosed with dementia every year. The organization estimates that more than 82 million people will have dementia by 2030.

Coffee does not make people forgetful. It also does not treat dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. However, there is compelling evidence showing how caffeine can protect dementia-predisposed people from the disease.

Although descriptive by nature, research shows that caffeine can lower people’s risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It is good news for the millions of Americans at risk for the disease.

5.  Moderates Risk of Death

Although there are no empirical studies supporting coffee’s impact on life expectancy, several studies observed that coffee-drinking men are 20% less likely to die young than those who steer clear of this beverage.

The same study describes the relationship between coffee drinking and mortality risk in women, citing about 26% risk reduction. A longitudinal study spanning two decades also observed a 30% mortality risk reduction among people with diabetes.

As long as one shies away from fat-laden and carb-filled caffeinated beverages, long life awaits.

6.  Protects the Liver

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases says that 1 in 400 American adults have cirrhosis, a condition whereby liver tissues become fibrous.

The condition can lead to liver cancer while also predisposing the person to fatty liver disease and hepatitis. About 10 to 46 percent of American adults have the fatty liver disease of non-alcoholic origin. The prevalence is higher among alcoholics, between 25 and 33 percent.

The good news is that drinking at least four cups of coffee every day can lower the risk of developing cirrhosis by 80%.

7.  Lowers Parkinson’s Disease Risk

The Parkinson’s Foundation reports that more than ten million people have Parkinson’s disease globally. In the US, an average of 60,000 people get diagnosed with the condition every year, costing $52 billion.

While coffee is far from the magic formula that can erase Parkinson’s disease from the face of the planet, it offers hope to those predisposed to the disease.

Coffee can reduce one’s risk of getting Parkinson’s disease from as low as 32% to as much as 60%.

8.  Reduces the Risk of Some Cancers

One of the incredible benefits of drinking coffee is its ability to lower one’s risk against certain cancers. To date, cancer remains incurable. One can only rely on treatments that alleviate pain, remove the tumor, and provide symptomatic relief.

According to the WHO, cancer remains the world’s number one killer, taking almost 10 million lives in 2020. In the US, the National Cancer Institute added 1.8 million new cases in 2020.

Studies show that coffee can reduce liver cancer and colorectal cancer risks by 40% and 15%, respectively.

9.  Diminishes Stroke and Heart Disease Risk

Most people equate coffee’s palpitation side effects as naturally harmful for people predisposed to heart disease and stroke.

However, science says the rise in blood pressure after drinking coffee is only 3-4 mm Hg. Moreover, its metabolic rate-raising effects wane fast. Many people fail to comprehend that coffee’s antioxidant richness can protect the heart and the brain.

Studies show that moderate amounts of coffee can reduce heart disease and stroke risk by as much as 15% and 20%, respectively.

10. Dampens Type 2 Diabetes Risk

The WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recognize diabetes as a public health emergency, affecting millions globally. Many people suffer heart attacks, kidney failure, stroke, lower limb amputation, and blindness because of diabetes.

Research shows that coffee can lower type 2 diabetes risk by as much as 67%. As long as people go easy on the sugar and other carbs in their coffee, they should be able to reap this fantastic benefit.

11. Decreases Incidence of Depression

The National Institute of Mental Health says that seven percent of the US adult population have depression, with women suffering the most.

Harvard researchers observed that women who drink at least four cups of coffee per day could reduce their risk of depression by 20 percent. The exact number of coffee consumed every day can also lower the risk of suicide by 53%.

Conclusion

These 11 science-backed benefits of consuming coffee are only the tip of the iceberg. Scientists, nutritionists, and healthcare professionals continue to examine coffee’s various active ingredients, hoping to extend coffee’s sphere of benefits. Who knows, the lowly cup of coffee might be the elixir of life everyone has been looking for all along.

Charles Villena wrote a coffee blog that provides the latest reviews on coffee machines, Breville, Delonghi, and more.