Top 4 Health Benefits of Coffee

If you love coffee, you are not alone. In a recent survey by Reuters, 64 percent of Americans age 18 and over said that they enjoyed a cup in the previous 24 hours. One of the top reasons you might drink coffee is because you know that the brewed beverage helps you wake up and feel energized. What you may not know is there are actually several health benefits of coffee.

• Good source of antioxidants
• Fat-burning potential
• It contains several healthy nutrients
• Brain health

Good source of antioxidants. Coffee is rich in antioxidants, which help fight off disease-causing free radicals. Coffee contains several different types of antioxidants, such as trigonelline, which may help prevent the development of dental cavities, according to Coffee Science. The antioxidant melanoidin gives coffee its telltale aroma during the roasting process, and melanoidin has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Many of these antioxidants, but not all, are present in decaffeinated coffee too.

Fat-burning potential. Research cited by Healthline shows that caffeine could boost metabolic rate by as much as 10 percent in obese people and 29 percent in lean individuals. It’s no wonder why so many weight loss supplements contain caffeine!

It contains several healthy nutrients. Many of the nutrients in coffee beans survive the roasting and brewing process and make their way into your cup. In fact, a cup of coffee can help you get some of Reference Daily Intake (RDI). One single cup of coffee contains 11 percent of your vitamin B12 intake, 6 percent of your vitamin B5, 3 percent of your manganese and potassium RDI, and 2 percent of your daily magnesium and vitamin B3 intake.

Brain health. The caffeine in coffee may even be good for brain health, according to Harvard Medical School. When combined with a healthy diet that includes brain healthy foods, the caffeine in coffee can have a longer-term effect on thinking skills.

The caffeine in coffee interacts with special receptors in the brain. Caffeine interacts with your brain by “docking” onto special receptors. The act of attaching to those receptors wakes you up and makes you feel alert. Caffeine may also boost brain health to improve mood, reaction time, vigilance, attention, learning, and general mental function.

So brew up a pot or buy a cup to go to enjoy the many health benefits of coffee!