Is coffee actually healthy?

Many people all around the world drink coffee every day. It is common knowledge that coffee carries some health risks, and most people would probably generally call it unhealthy. New research shows that the health benefits coffee brings might outweigh the risks.

Caffeine, a psychoactive substance found in coffee, the most consumed psychoactive substance in the world, falls into the stimulants group. Caffeine is the element of coffee which causes the feelings of wakefulness and focus, if it is consumed too much it can cause varying health issues. In some people the effects of caffeine are stronger than in others, and so the consequences as well, it can lead to disturbances in sleep, heart palpitations, anxiety and even addiction (link).

Still, caffeine itself has its benefits in the form of wakefulness and focus, plenty of research suggests it improves mood, cognitive function and metabolism. Some of these effects are short-term and with the development of a coffee drinking habit a tolerance to these effects will develop as well. Another significant element of caffeine is that it can cause higher blood pressure, because of this people with blood pressure problem need to be careful about their caffeine intake. Pregnant women should also be careful about their caffeine intake, it can carry a variety of risks for them.

Still, coffee contains more elements than just caffeine which have different health benefits. These other elements have significant nutrients such as vitamins and minerals and an extraordinary number of antioxidants which can help in the prevention of many illnesses.

Coffee can help prevent diseases such as:

• Parkinsons disease
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Liver diseases
• Heart attack and stroke
• Cardiovascular diseases

Research has shown that coffee can have a preventive effect on the development of different specific types of cancer such as: colorectal, uterine, liver and skin.

Regular consumption of large amounts of coffee can decrease the risk of depression and suicide.

Many of these health benefits of coffee are affected by a specific preparation style, quantity of consumption or genetic predispositions to certain diseases. Research suggests that filtered coffee is the healthiest, unfiltered coffee can increase cholesterol levels.

All in all, researchers suggest that increasing coffee consumption in diet has more health benefits than risks. In certain situations, care is needed, like with blood pressure problems or pregnancies. If you notice that coffee has negative effects on you, heart palpitations, anxiety or sleep disorders, you should try and regulate your intake.

There are alternatives to coffee such as black or green tea or other non-caffeinated drinks which can provide wakefulness and focus without the same consequences.

Abalo, R. (2021). Coffee and caffeine consumption for human health. Nutrients, 13(9), 2918. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13092918

Poole, R., Kennedy, O. J., Roderick, P., Fallowfield, J. A., Hayes, P. C., & Parkes, J. (2017). Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes. BMJ, j5024. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j5024

*This text is intended for informational purposes only. If you experience any symptoms, it is recommended that you seek advice from your doctor or a qualified healthcare professional.*

*Image taken from : https://pixabay.com/photos/coffee-cup-drink-beverage-7292250/*