A team of researchers at the University of Southampton and the University of Edinburgh reviewed a total of 201 published studies that provided data on the effects of coffee consumption on the human body. They found that coffee consumption significantly reduced the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 15 percent and slashed the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease by 19 percent. In addition, they found that it slashes the risk of liver cancer by 34 percent and bowel cancer by 17 percent.
“Coffee is highly consumed worldwide and could have positive health benefits, especially in chronic liver disease,” the researchers wrote.
Moreover, they found that consumers of coffee have a 36 percent lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease and a 27 percent lower risk of Alzheimer's. Decaffeinated coffee provided a similar effect to the standard coffee, which indicated that caffeine is not the cause of coffee's beneficial effects. They believe that the antioxidant plant compounds in coffee are responsible for the benefits.
“Roasted coffee is a complex mixture of over 1,000 bioactive compounds, some with potentially therapeutic antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, or anticancer effects,” they wrote.
However, the researchers warned that not everyone would benefit from coffee. Pregnant women should not drink too much coffee to prevent the risk of miscarriage. Moreover, coffee appears to increase the risk of leukemia, lymphoma, and lung cancer. They also discovered that consuming more than three cups of coffee a day did not show any additional benefits. Therefore, coffee should be drunk in moderation. The researchers suggested that moderate amounts of coffee is more likely to provide benefits than cause harm.
“Coffee consumption seems generally safe within usual levels of intake, with summary estimates indicating largest risk reduction for various health outcomes at three to four cups a day, and more likely to benefit than harm,” they wrote.
Other benefits of drinking coffee
Drinking coffee in moderation can provide health benefits. It is packed with antioxidants and beneficial nutrients that can enhance health. (Related: Coffee found to affect metabolism in dozens of ways, including impacting steroid pathways.)
Here are the other health benefits that coffee can provide:
- Increases energy levels and make a person smarter – The caffeine in coffee blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, which gives a stimulating effect. In turn, this enhances energy levels, mood, and different aspects of brain function.
- Helps in weight loss – Some studies suggested that caffeine can increase metabolic rate by three to 11 percent and boost fat burning in the body by 10 to 29 percent.
- Enhances physical performance – Caffeine can raise adrenaline levels and release fatty acids from fat tissues. These, in turn, can result in significant improvements in physical performance.
- Wards off depression – According to some studies, coffee consumption appears to lower the risk of depression and may reduce the risk of suicide.
- Lowers the risk of stroke – Although drinking coffee may cause mild increases in blood pressure, these usually go away over time. Moreover, studies showed that coffee consumption results in a lower risk of stroke and does not cause an increased risk of heart disease.
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