It’s not like you need me to tell you how amazing that first coffee of a
morning is. The smell of the coffee beans, the warmth of your cup and then
that first sip! It’s like bliss! But there are a whole heap of reasons, other than
how good it feels, why your morning coffee is good for you.
So the next time someone asks you ‘do you think you really need that
coffee?’ arm yourself with this list of reasons why.
1 – Coffee Is Full Of Antioxidants
So, we hear this term a lot ‘full of antioxidants’. But not many people
actually understand what an ‘antioxidant’ does or why we need them. In a
nutshell, the body contains free radicals which can occur as a natural part of
metabolism or in response to events in our body, such as infection. These can
cause harm and damage to our body and antioxidants are used to neutralise
them (sounds like a bit of a war going on in your cells right?).
Antioxidants also help reduce inflammation, a condition that we are
becoming more and more aware as being linked to conditions such as
arthritis, gut health and even cancer.Play Video
Coffee is one of the highest sources of antioxidants available, more than
green tea and cacao. And it contains unique antioxidants not found anywhere
else. Sounds like a pretty good reason to pour another cup to me!
2 – Decreased Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes
When it comes to diabetes, there are a few types. Type 1 diabetes is also
known as juvenile diabetes and has an early onset and is a condition that is
not preventable and gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes in pregnant
women. But it’s type 2 diabetes (diabetes that is a result of lifestyle choices
such as diet) that is on the rise, and it’s something I see regularly in my job as
a Paramedic.
Studies have shown however, that drinking coffee can decrease your risk of
type 2 diabetes by around 9% for each daily cup of coffee. And it’s not just
the caffeine as decaf also reduced the risk by around 6% for each daily cup.
Keep in mind, that while it seems like drinking 10 cups of coffee a day will
reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes by 90%, it may present other health risks
by consuming in such large quantities. So stick to your one or two cups a day.
3 – Can Help Reduce Depression And
Make You Happier
Depression is a serious condition that affects many people in many different
ways. From mild depression through to severe, it is something we need to be
aware of and need to speak more about.
A Harvard study has shown that drinking four or more cups of coffee can
reduce the risk of depression in women by 20%. When we are talking about a
condition that plays a huge risk factor in women taking their own lives, a
reduction of 20% risk is huge!
Caffeine also stimulates dopamine, the ‘feel good’ neurotransmitter
associated with euphoria such as the feeling we get when we drink our first
cup of coffee for the day. (Also associated with addition, which too explains
a lot).
4 – It Can Help You Burn Fat
When it comes to natural substances to help you burn fat, caffeine is one of
the few that has actually been proven to work. That’s one of the reasons why
so many of the ‘fat burning supplements’ you see have caffeine as an
ingredient.
It is said to boost your metabolic rate and increase your bodies ability to burn
fat, especially in those who aren’t regular coffee drinkers (sorry…).
While your daily cup of coffee isn’t going to replace your gym work out, it
surely makes you feel better about having your morning coffee! Plus the
‘upper’ effect it has may just be what helps you get through your gym routine
and work that bit harder! An all round win if you ask me.
5 – Let’s Not Forget The Social Aspect
While it’s easy to look at all of the above and argue that yes, there are some
great reasons why your morning cup of coffee is good for you and the health
benefits do speak volumes, it’s also important to acknowledge that coffee has
a fantastic social benefit.
