Health Benefits of Caffeine In Coffee

Coffee is undoubtedly one of the staple beverages in most homes and commercial establishments today. The love for this drink actually started from the earliest time people discovered those black, aromatic beans back in the thirteenth century. Then and now, the drink is loved for different reasons - to get perked up during a lazy day, to be comforted by its distinct, familiar taste, or simply to enjoy it on one's tastebuds. If you're a coffee aficionado yourself, you probably have your own reasons as well. But regardless of what makes the drink well-loved the world over, one thing is for sure - it is now considered a health food.

We all still remember how caffeine in coffee used to be condemned by the nutritionists, but it is now a certified favorite for the following reasons:

1. Reduces Cancer Risks

We encounter too many free radicals everywhere these days, from the air we breathe to the food we eat. Free radicals are atoms or elements that cause cancerous changes in our cells, and antioxidants in coffee fight these changes through a process known as the radical adduct formation or RAF. 200-300 mg of caffeine in coffee a day is enough to provide this kind of protection.

2. Improves Brain Functions

There are two common ways the brain benefits from caffeine in coffee, and one is by increasing mental alertness and improving memory through its stimulant effect. The other is by reducing the production of neutrotransmitters that cause brain tissue degradation, thus, preventing Parkinson's disease and other related illnesses. It is said that these health effects can be achieved by consuming small amounts of coffee over a period of time.

3. Protects the Liver

Another health benefit associated with caffeine in coffee today is liver protection. Researchers have found that non-coffee drinkers are three times as likely to develop hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer) than those who consume coffee regularly. Other studies have also shown that alcohol drinkers are 22 % less at risk from a cirrhosis attack in a day when drink one cup of coffee.

4. Prevents Type II Diabetes

No less than researchers at Harvard University have found that people who consume one to three cups of caffeinated coffee daily are 10 %less at risk of developing type II diabetes, while those who drink six plus cups a day reduce their risks by upto 30-50 %. The study was conducted on 126,000 people who either drank or did not drink coffee regularly for a span of 18 years.

These are only a few of the major health benefits of caffeine in coffee, and there are more. Some studies have found that caffeine relieves muscle tension, fights depression by boosting dopamine production in the brain, boosts stamina during physical activity, cleanses the colon, promotes hair regrowth in balding men and women and prevents muscle spasms.

Now that the true colors of caffeine in coffee have been revealed, a lot of things have changed, indeed, in the way the world appreciates this refreshing and energizing drink.