Is Coffee Good for You? 13+ Health Benefits of Coffee

Is coffee good for you? Is it bad for you? Could it actually decrease overall risk of … death? While some research may point to potentially negative effects, there are so many more possible health benefits of coffee that will make you enjoy your morning routine even more.

1. Reduced All-Cause Mortality

If you’ve been wondering what all that coffee is doing to you, cheer up. A review of data completed at Gill Heart Institute in Kentucky focused on the cardiovascular, genetic, antioxidant and caffeine effects of coffee and found that drinking the brew reduces the risk of mortality right across the board.

I’ll cover more on these topics later, but the researchers in this study also documented that coffee:

• 1. Reduces risk of stroke
• 2. Does not increase risk of coronary heart disease
• 3. Does not increase risk of congestive heart failure and may be preventative
• 4. Does not increase risk of sudden cardiac death
• 5. Decreases risk of type 2 diabetes
• 6. Does not increase risk of hypertension
• 7. Does not increase risk of metabolic syndrome
• 8. Arrhythmias with coffee are not a significant factor

Another meta-analysis involving a total of 997,464 people found that 4 cups of coffee per day reduced the all-cause mortality rate by 16%, while 3 cups each day lowered the cardiovascular disease mortality rate by 21%.

Scientists at the National Cancer Institute have published a paper in the New England Journal of Medicine demonstrating an inverse correlation with coffee consumption and all cause mortality.

It concluded that: “…coffee consumption was inversely associated with total and cause-specific mortality”

2. Protection Against Cancer

A study in the journal Gastroenterology found that consumption of 2 cups of coffee each day was associated with a 43% reduction in the risk of liver cancer. Additionally, a meta-analysis showed that coffee can reduce the risk of liver cancer by 50%, with the risk reductions being higher for men at 62%.

Besides liver cancer, research has found that 4 or more cups of coffee per day can lower the risk of prostate cancer by 59%. 

Further, 5 cups per day can decrease breast cancer by 29% overall. Specifically, the risk of oestrogen receptor negative cancers dropped by 59%, and postmenopausal cancer by 37%.

One joint study between researchers at Harvard University and Tianjin University in China found a significantly decreased risk of Basal cell carcinoma associated with intake of coffee.

Regular coffee consumption has also been associated with a reduced the risk of liver cancer. This association is seen in the healthy as well in those with previous liver disease.

3. Reduced Risk of Dementia, Less Brain Inflammation

Among other coffee health benefits,, coffee may have a long-term, positive impact on cognition.

A paper published in 2012 in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease demonstrated that higher plasma caffeine levels, presumed to be indicative of coffee intake, were associated with a reduced or delayed onset of dementia in 124 individuals, aged 65-88 years and diagnosed with moderate cognitive impairment.

Researchers in Finland investigated the association between coffee and tea drinking at midlife and the outcome of Alzheimer’s disease years later. The 1409 participants were followed for 21 years as part of a longitudinal study.

Those who had been coffee drinkers at midlife showed a significantly lower incidence of Alzheimer’s compared to those who did not drink coffee or drank only small amounts. A jaw dropping 65% decrease was noted in participants who drank 3 to 5 cups of coffee each day. No association was found between cognitive decline and tea drinking.

Another study lends more support for coffee’s ability to protect against development of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers credited caffeine’s antioxidants as the protective force, through their ability to reduce inflammation.

Research by the University of Illinois has found that caffeine can block brain based inflammation implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.

It has the same effect as blocking the inflammatory chemical IL-1, by inhibiting the enzyme known as caspase-1, which triggers the production of IL-1-beta. Caffeine’s ability to block receptors that help activate caspase-1 is associated with cognitive improvement and protection against Alzheimer’s disease.

It’s not just the caffeine, but a synergistic combination of caffeine and an unnamed natural compound that stimulates higher blood levels of GCSF (granulocyte colony stimulating factor), which protects the brain from dementia and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Related Read: Coffee Grounds: Good for Your Health and the Garden

4. Less Headaches

We know that withdraw from caffeine can actually cause terrible headaches, but coffee may actually have the opposite affect when ingested in moderation.

A study in the Journal of Headache & Pain has found that those drinking 2 or 3 cups of coffee each day experienced the lowest incidence of chronic headaches. This is because caffeine helps prevent vascular spasms and helps to block pain receptors on nerve endings, acting much like low-dose aspirin.

Let us know in the comments what your experience with coffee and headaches has been like.

5. Improved Liver Health

While coffee is more often thought of as something to detoxify from, a study of 27, 793 people found that at least 3 cups of coffee per day is associated with a reduction in abnormal liver enzymes.

This effect was stronger with decaffeinated coffee on the enzymes ALT, with a 38% risk reduction instead of 25%, and AST, with a 26% reduction as opposed to 18%.

Additionally, drinking at least 2 cups of coffee per day reduces death from cirrhosis (a condition in which your liver is scarred and permanently damaged) by 66%, whereas other beverages such as fruit juice and tea do not affect cirrhosis mortality.

6. and 7. Improved Gut Health and Weight Loss

Dave Aspey, author of The Bulletproof Diet, states that the polyphenols found in coffee are a prebiotic for the Bacteroidetes genus of gut flora, which are associated with weight control. The population of this type of bacteria cannot be increased with probiotics, making it necessary to feed the existing colonies.

Furthermore, one of the antioxidants in coffee, chlorogenic acid (CGA), has the ability to help prevent weight gain and maintain normal blood sugar levels, thereby being protective against type II diabetes. However, adding copious amounts of sugar to your coffee can offset these benefits and is therefore not recommended.

Another study concluded that the combination of CGA and caffeine suppresses fat accumulation and body weight gain by regulating mRNA and protein expression levels of liver lipid metabolism-related enzymes. These affects are stronger than those exerted by CGA and caffeine individually.

For weight control and all of coffee’s other health benefits, it is best to drink coffee black or with minimum amounts of milk and sugar.

Related Read: Experience the Health Benefits of Green Coffee

8. Decreased Risk of Type II Diabetes

A meta-analysis of 18 studies found that increased intake of coffee, caffeinated or decaffeinated, was associated with decreased risk of diabetes.

Other research involving almost 35,000 women and published in the American Heart Association’s journal Stroke found that there seems to be lower rates of diabetes and strokes among coffee drinkers.

The protections against the diseases noted in the studies were very substantial. Since coffee beans are loaded with antioxidants, coffee should ideally be consumed without dairy, sugar, or artificial sweeteners. Sweetening with Stevia would be okay. Ideally, avoid flavored coffees completely.

9. Decreased Risk of Depression

A Harvard School of Public Health study analyzing 50,739 women free of depression at baseline and followed for 10 years found that depression risk decreased with increased coffee consumption, up to 4 cups per day. Decaffeinated coffee did not have the same effect.

10. Cataracts / Eye Health

As for cataracts, researchers in Sweden followed 30,607 women for a period of 7.7 years to see how total antioxidant capacity affected their development of cataracts. They found that women with the highest antioxidant rating had the lowest incidence of age-related cataracts. Again – coffee is full of antioxidants.

11. Improved Mood

Coffee and caffeine are known to affect the limbic system, a complex system of nerves and networks in the brain, involving several areas near the cortex concerned with instinct and mood. It’s what powers emotions like fear or pleasure, and drives like hunger or dominance. But data on the influence of coffee and its constituents on neurotransmitter release has been limited.

Researchers investigated dopamine release and mobilization in cells after stimulation with coffee. Dopamine is a hormone as well as a neurotransmitter, and it plays important roles in the human brain that include motivation and reward behavior, and motor control. The researchers concluded that each of the coffee constituents tested stimulated dopamine release, underscoring the multifaceted nature of coffee.

12. Protection Against Atherosclerosis

More health benefits of coffee!

Researchers at the National Institute for Food and Nutrition in Rome found that drinking just 200 mL, or 1 cup, of coffee increased resistance of LDL (low density lipoproteins) to oxidation. It’s assumed that coffee’s effectiveness in this regard is due to its high concentration of antioxidants.

The study goes on to note that coffee contains a myriad of other components besides caffeine, especially antioxidant polyphenols. These may be altered or removed by coffee preparation methods such a paper filtration or putting milk into the coffee. Additionally, there was no noted cardiovascular advantage or disadvantage to drinking decaffeinated coffee.

“The bottom line on coffee for those who enjoy the brew, is that it is a wonderful beverage with rare associated CV [cardiovascular] disadvantage and with much to recommend it from an overall CV standpoint”, concluded the study author.

13. Slowed Aging

The average cup of coffee has more antioxidants than an average serving of blueberries or an orange. And the much touted green tea can’t hold a candle to coffee, with a cup of it containing only about 60% of the antioxidants as found in a cup of coffee.

Crazy right?

Antioxidants are the anti-aging polyphenols that counter oxidation in the body. The high amounts of antioxidants found in coffee may prevent or delay the diseases associated with growing older.

The dominant antioxidant polyphenol in coffee is chlorogenic acid. Scientists have demonstrated that CGA exerts many biological properties that include antibacterial, protection against cancer, and regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism.

How to Pick Your Coffee

There are generally two basic types of beans sold widely, arabica and robusta. You’ll find Arabica beans in discriminating coffee shops and health food stores. There are different types and sources of arabica beans that offer richer flavor than robusta beans, which are usually used in less expensive coffees. Organic coffee beans are easy to find nowadays as well.

Types of roast vary from light to dark. Contrary to popular belief, dark roasted beans contain slightly less caffeine than lighter roasts. And espresso, commonly spelled incorrectly as expresso, does not depend on the level of roasting. Nor does it depend on the type of bean.

Coffee’s Down Side

If you’ve never been much of a coffee drinker before, don’t seek more of the caffeine buzz for it’s health benefits. Coffee’s not for everyone. But at least, everyone who drinks coffee moderately has no need to feel guilty or beat themselves up for not being able quit.

Addiction, inability to fall asleep if consumed at night, and caffeine jitters are the most obvious downsides to drinking coffee. Using decaffeinated coffee, which leaves just enough caffeine to combine with the mystery compound and antioxidants, has shown similar, albeit lesser, health benefits as regular coffee.

Since caffeine is a diuretic, any kidney or bladder problems can be exacerbated. Another ill effect of excess coffee drinking involves the adrenal glands.

When we drink coffee, the adrenal glands are stimulated to produce adrenaline. This is part of the flight or fight syndrome. It is what causes irritability, especially since it also inhibits soothing serotonin.

Still, if coffee is consumed excessively too often, one can experience adrenal fatigue, a malady that seems to be recognized by holistic or traditional medicine only. Adrenal fatigue lowers cortisol production, making it more difficult to cope with stress.

Another interesting tidbit: the heaviest coffee consumption is commonly found in regions that are often overcast, drizzly, and dreary. The Pacific Northwest in America is a good example. It seems that coffee helps people to avoid seasonal affected disorder (SAD) or depression from gloomy overcast skies.

You can enjoy your java without remorse or guilt as long as the negatives don’t overwhelm the positives.

So – Is Coffee Good for You? Keep on Drinking.

If you’re having a cup of coffee right now, relax and enjoy it knowing you are positively contributing to so many aspects of your health. Continue to experience the many health benefits of coffee – and remember – start every morning with purpose!