Coffee Health Benefits, Uses And Its Side Effects
Last Updated: Sep 12, 2020
Coffee is a beverage that has numerous health benefits. The main ingredient in coffee is caffeine, which helps boost energy levels. Drinking coffee regularly can help counteract depression. Coffee stimulates the central nervous system and increases the production of dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline, important neurotransmitters that elevate the mood, thus preventing depression.
Coffee also contains certain compounds which have been proved to prevent certain types of cancer such as breast cancer liver cancer colon cancer and rectal cancer.
Coffee
Coffee is a beverage prepare from roasted coffee beans, which are obtained from the Coffea plant. Coffee has two main species: Arabica and Robusta. Robusta coffee packs 50% more caffeine, and a sharp bitter flavor. This is one reason why Arabica coffee is the more desirable of the two, as it possesses a smoother taste and enjoyable flavor characteristics.
Nutritional Value of Coffee
A regular cup of coffee contains around 2.4 calories, and absolutely no fat and sugar. Coffee contains a number of micronutrients such as potassium, magnesium and niacin. The type of water used in preparation of coffee can often influence its micronutrient content, and this is especially true for black coffee.
Nutritional facts Per 100 Grams
Health Benefits of Coffee
Different types of coffee available in the local market, according to taste buds you can refresh your mood with different flavors of coffee. Coffee improves your energy levels and Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes. You can also add coffee cups in your weight loss management programs.
Improves your mental alertness and reduces the risk of liver problems by drinking coffee. Mentioned below are the best health benefits of drinking coffee. We also discuss some disadvantages of drinking too much coffee, also read out the cultivation process also.Coffee Really Give Boost to Your Energy Levels
Coffee contains extremely high amounts of a compound called caffeine, which is the most widely consumed psychoactive compound in the world. When you consume coffee, the caffeine is absorbed into the bloodstream.
Once in the brain, caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine. When that happens, the amount of other neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine actually increases, leading to enhanced firing of neurons. This leads to improved energy levels, mood, reaction times, and overall cognitive function.
Drink Coffee to Lose Weight Quickly
Coffee has numerous health benefits, and helping with weight loss is one of them. There is a reason caffeine is found in almost every fat burning supplement. Caffeine is one of the very few natural substances that aid weight loss efforts. Caffeine can boost the body’s metabolic rate by around 10%, thus helping the body burn fat faster.
Coffee Improves Physical Performance
Caffeine stimulates the nervous system, causing it to send signals to the fat cells to break down body fat. Additionally, caffeine also increases adrenaline levels in the body.
Adrenaline is the ‘fight or flight’ hormone, which, when released, readies the body for physical exertion. When this happens, fatty acids are released from the fat tissues, thus making them available as furl. So, it is advisable to drink coffee before activities that require physical exertion.
Coffee Lower Risk of Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is currently a huge problem which affects millions of people all over the globe. Diabetes is characterized by elevated blood sugars in the context of insulin resistance or an inability to secrete insulin. Studies have shown that people who drink coffee on a daily basis have a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Coffee Prevents Onset of Diseases Such as Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s
Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s are two very common neurodegenerative diseases that affect older people, and are still incurable. Studies have proved that drinking coffee regularly can reduce the risk of developing these diseases. This is because the caffeine in coffee helps keep the brain functioning well and keeps cognitive functioning at the maximum level.
Coffee Helps In Fighitng Liver Disease
The liver is one of the most vital organs of the body, and keeping it in top shape is very important. Regular consumption of coffee has been proved to help prevent disease such as liver cancer, fatty liver disease, alcoholic cirrhosis and hepatitis.
People who drink 4 or more cups of black coffee everyday have 80 per cent lower chances of developing any liver disease. Coffee helps by lowering the level of harmful liver enzymes in the blood.
Antiseptic & Antibacterial Properties of Coffee Good for Stomach
Coffee is a diuretic beverage, which means that it increases urine output and frequency of urination. Regular consumption of coffee ensures that the toxins and bacteria in your system are easily and quickly flushed out in the form of urine. This helps cleanse the stomach and keep it free from infections.
Coffee Reduce Depression Risk
Too much work pressure and tension can lead to depression and stress which in turn can cause many serious health issues. Drinking coffee regularly can help counteract depression.
Coffee stimulates the central nervous system and increases the production of dopamine, serotonin, and noradrenaline, important neurotransmitters that elevate the mood, thus preventing depression.
Coffee Reduces Risk of Cancer
Coffee contains certain compounds which have been proved to prevent certain types of cancer such as breast cancer liver cancer colon cancer and rectal cancer. The main reason behind this is that coffee is extremely rich in anti-inflammatory compounds. These anti-inflammatory compounds help prevent tumors, thus protecting against cancer.
Consumption of Coffee Lower Uric Acid Levels
Research has shown that regular consumption of coffee can reduce the risk of developing diseases such as gout. The powerful antioxidants present in coffee reduces the risk of developing gout by decreasing the level of insulin and uric acid in the body. Even in people who are already suffering from gout, drinking coffee can help alleviates its symptoms.
Uses of Coffee
The most common use of drinking coffee is to help relieve physical and mental fatigue, and to increase mental alertness. Most of us swear by a cup or two of coffee every day in the mornings. Coffee contains caffeine in very high amounts, and caffeine has the capability to increase alertness and boost mental clear thinking.
Additionally, coffee can be used to prevent diseases such as Parkinson’s, gastrointestinal cancer, Type 2 diabetes, breast cancer and lung cancer.
Side-Effects & Allergies of Coffee
Coffee contains high amounts of caffeine, as a result of which it can cause side effects such as insomnia, nervousness and restlessness, stomach upset, nausea, vomiting, and increases heart rate. Consuming large amounts of coffee might also cause headache, anxiety, agitation, ringing in the ears, and palpitations.
Additionally, drinking coffee on an empty stomach can be harmful, because coffee stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid, which is an acid that should only be produced when meals need to be digested. If your body has to make HCL more often in response to regular cups of coffee, it may have difficulty producing enough to deal with a large meal.
Cultivation of Coffee
The Coffea plant is native to tropical Africa and Madagascar, and the modern version of roasted coffee has its origins in Arabia. During the 13th century, coffee was extremely popular with the Muslim community for its stimulant powers, which proved useful during long prayer sessions. In 1616, the Dutch founded the first European-owned coffee estate in Sri Lanka, then Ceylon, then Java in 1696.
The French began growing coffee in the Caribbean, followed by the Spanish in Central America and the Portuguese in Brazil. European coffee houses sprang up in Italy and later France, where they reached a new level of popularity. Soon after, coffee plants reached the US, and by the late 1800s, coffee had become a worldwide community.
The coffee plant needs ample rainfall to grow, and its temperature requirements vary depending on its type. Coffee crops grow very well in higher altitudes, but they are very vulnerable to frost. Coffee plants can grow on a wide range of soils, but sandy loam soil is ideal for its cultivation.
References
- Mazzafera P. Mineral nutrition and caffeine content in coffee leaves. Bragantia. 1999;58(2):387-91. [Cited 24 June 2019]. Available from:
- Messina G, Zannella C, Monda V, Dato A, Liccardo D, De Blasio S, Valenzano A, Moscatelli F, Messina A, Cibelli G, Monda M. The beneficial effects of coffee in human nutrition. Biology and Medicine. 2015 Oct 1;7(4):1. [Cited 24 June 2019]. Available from:
- Higdon JV, Frei B. Coffee and health: a review of recent human research. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. 2006 Mar 1;46(2):101-23. [Cited 24 June 2019]. Available from:
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