Your morning cup o' Joe, name scribbled down the side or not, does a lot more than just give you a buzz of energy. It is loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, both of which provide your body a range of health benefits. Whether that’s lowering your risk of cancer, or boosting your memory power, here’s why you should be waking up and smelling the coffee!
Burns Fat
Nearly every commercial fat burning supplement contains caffeine, so why not go straight to the source – the black sauce! Several studies have shown that coffee can help speed up your metabolism, which in turn boosts the rate at which your body burns calories. Biscotti, anyone?
Adrenaline Boost
Caffeine can increase the ‘fight or flight’ hormone, Epinephrine - or in other words, your adrenaline. There’s a reason why some top athletes suck coffee beans - the sudden boost prepares the body for intense physical exertion. The University of Birmingham has suggested that even a single cup of espresso can improve your running endurance by a whopping 26%! Have a coffee half an hour before you hit the gym, and you’ll see the difference.
Daily Vitamins
A single cup of coffee contains the following cocktail of daily vitamins, as well as packing a powerful antioxidant punch. Imagine the body boost if you’re drinking two or three cups a day...
• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 11% of the RDA
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5): 6% of the RDA
• Manganese and Potassium: 3% of the RDA
• Magnesium and Niacin (B3): 2% of the RDA
Perk Up
According to the boffins at Harvard School of Public Health, four cups of coffee a day can reduce your risk of depression by 20%, and can generally cheer you up. There’s a reason why you wake your other half up with a cup!
A Surviving Trend
In fact, further research discovered that drinking between two to four cups a day can reduce the risk of suicide by up to 50 percent. The reason behind this is that coffee acts as a mild antidepressant, by aiding the production of your body’s neurotransmitters.
Good for your Liver
Arthur L Klatsky, the lead author of a study in 2006, stated that the consumption of coffee ‘seems to have some protective benefits against alcoholic cirrhosi.’ Further research, led by Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, discovered that drinking four or more cups of coffee a day may be beneficial in preventing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, too.
Cancer Fighting
Recent studies by the likes of Harvard have suggested that coffee can fight cancer, including that of the liver and colon. Even if you’re a fan of the decaf stuff, drinking 3-6 cups a day can reduce your chances of prostate cancer by 60%.
Type II Diabetes
It currently affects about 300 million people worldwide. However, according to the Institute of Scientific Information on Coffee, a single cup can prevent your chance of developing Type II Diabetes by 10%. That chocolate-sprinkled, cream covered, caramel macchiato might not prove quite so beneficial though...
Alzheimer’s Disease
Although there is no known cure, researchers from the University of Florida and the University of Miami discovered that those aged 65 or over, with a higher level of caffeine in their blood, appeared to develop Alzheimer’s disease between two to four years later than those that didn't.
Brain Power
Many controlled human trials have demonstrated that coffee can have a positive effect on various mental attributes, from reaction times to general cognitive functions. In fact, research from John Hopkins University found that a double espresso can supercharge your memory for up to a day – so those ten, spoon dissolving, black coffees you down the night before an exam might do more than simply keep you awake!
Thinking about sticking the kettle on? We thought as much. Let us know below how you like your cup of java, and whether you’ve experience any of the benefits other than that smooth, bitter-sweet taste. And while you sip away, why not take a look at a few selections below from the Be An Athlete sportswear range, perfect for a cosy afternoon spent in your favourite coffee shop. Cool beans?
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