The internet tells me that today is National Coffee Day, and to celebrate, many of your favorite stores are offering tons of deals on your daily caffeine fix. Many people – myself included – struggle to get through the long work day without a cup (or three, or four) of coffee. But can it actually be good for you?
Research suggests yes! Other than giving you a much-needed energy boost, coffee actually has a long list of health benefits, all backed by research.
Prevention of Stroke, Heart Disease, and Kidney Disease:
Studies have shown that those who consume coffee regularly have a decreased risk of stroke, heart disease, and kidney disease, likely due to the polyphenols contained in coffee. Polyphenols are micronutrients found in plants that have a wide range of health benefits, including promoting healthy blood vessels, protecting against mitochondrial damage in your kidneys, and reducing inflammation throughout the body.
2. Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes
It’s also been shown that those who drink coffee are less likely to develop Type 2 Diabetes. This might be because consuming caffeinated coffee improved sugar metabolism and even improved insulin response. Just be sure not to add too much sugar to your daily cup of Joe.
3. Prevention of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Diseases
In addition to a healthier heart and vascular system, coffee can also help protect your brain! The compounds in coffee actually protect against the processes that cause these diseases by preventing the accumulation of certain proteins that result in degeneration of the brain. Some research has also shown that caffeine can help those with Parkinson’s disease control their movements.
4. Protection of Your Liver
Coffee has been shown to have beneficial effects on liver enzymes, too. In many studies it was found that those who consumed coffee had overall lower levels of liver enzymes, which, when elevated, are a sign of liver disease. One study even found that those who regularly consume alcohol – which would normally increase liver enzymes – actually showed a decrease in liver enzymes when they also regularly consumed coffee.
5. (Possibly) Prevents Colorectal Cancer and Improves Outcomes
The studies looking at coffee and colorectal cancer are possibly skewed by the study designs (the old “correlation doesn’t necessarily equal causation” thing), but coffee certainly won’t hurt! The aforementioned studies loosely found that drinking coffee could both prevent colorectal cancer, AND might even delay early death after a diagnosis. Some more studies with more experimental designs are definitely needed to confirm all of this, but so far it sounds promising.
As I’m sure you’ve heard a million times by now, everything should be consumed in moderation. Too much coffee (and therefore, too much caffeine) can raise blood pressure, trigger anxiety, and cause insomnia, but if you’re already a coffee drinker I’m sure you know all of this.
How You Drink Your Coffee Matters
There are about a hundred different ways to make coffee, and not all of them are created equal. The typical style that everyone usually thinks of when they hear the word “coffee” is a process called drip coffee. This style is usually made in a machine that pushes the coffee through a filter and drips it into the pot.
Another style that’s risen in popularity recently (especially among “hipsters”) is the French press. It’s a little easier to make in the sense that you don’t need a machine that requires electricity; all you need is boiling water, a French press, and coffee beans.
Because this method of brewing does not include passing through a filter, French pressed coffee contains more of a type of oil called diterpines. These oils, according to the elite French press fans, is what makes the flavor unique ; however, those diterpines have actually been shown to raise the “bad” (otherwise known as LDL) cholesterol. A raise in cholesterol would essentially mitigate any heart-protective effects of coffee mentioned above.
TLDR: you can stop feeling guilty about your necessary daily caffeine fix because coffee is actually good for you. Just be careful how you prepare it: unfiltered (French press) can raise cholesterol, and loading it up with tons of creamer and sugar will take away from any of these health benefits. Black coffee is probably healthiest, but personally, I can’t even drink it without some almond milk or oat milk. So enjoy your coffee however you like it (in moderation, of course) and hopefully we’ll all be healthier for it.
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