Each day, more than 70 million cups of coffee are consumed by Americans, making the U.S. the largest coffee buyer in the world. Whether you like it with a hint of cream, topped with whip cream, or festively flavored, here’s how opting for a simple black cup of Joe is good for your health.
Mood Booster
Feel like you can’t function without your morning pick-me-up? Well, research shows that coffee drinkers, specifically women, experience fewer lows, than those who don’t drink coffee, a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine states. According to findings, participants who drank four cups of coffee a day had a 20 percent lower risk of clinical depression than those who drank a maximum one cup per week.
Combats cancer
Countless studies suggest that coffee reduces the risk of cancer. A 2015 study conducted by the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, found that patients with stage III colon cancer — each of whom had been treated with surgery and chemotherapy — had the greatest benefit from consuming four or more cups of coffee a day, according to the study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. In fact, patients were 42 percent less likely to experience re-occurrence of cancer than non-coffee drinkers, and 34 percent less likely to die from cancer or any other cause. How’s that for a statistic?
Reduces risk of disease
As if combating cancer wasn’t impressive enough, research suggests that drinking coffee in its purest form (ix-nay on the creamers and sweeteners) reduces the occurrence of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and type 2 diabetes. Additional research reveals that the caffeine found in your morning cup of motivation — anywhere from 100 – 300 mg per cup — helps constrict blood cells in the brain, reducing migraines, curing a hangover, and in some cases, relaxing airways while soothing asthma.
The lesson? While a caramel macchiato may periodically hit the spot. Indulging in a cup of black coffee is more beneficial for your mind, body, and arguably your soul, in the long run. Happy drinking!
