Antioxidants
Coffee is an incredibly good source of micronutrients with fancy names like polyphenols, chlorogenic acid, and hydrocinnamic acid. These small compounds are inflammation-fighting antioxidants that help to stop specific damage to DNA and cells.
Want the highest and most potent antioxidants in your morning joe? Choose espresso, which was studied and proven to have the highest concentration of antioxidants (or superpower capacity) when compared to decaf and instant coffee as well as green tea and black tea.
Mood and Alertness
Ever wonder how caffeine works? When you drink coffee, the caffeine molecules travel through your bloodstream and across the blood-brain barrier where the caffeine blocks certain brain neurotransmitters. Once these receptors are blocked, it allows an increased and enhanced rapid firing of specific neurons (AKA – the coffee buzz!).
When you’re feeling down in the dumps, there is even more reason to pour another cup! In a 15-year study, it was found that coffee consumption had nearly immediate results in cognitive and mood outcomes such as improved short-term memory and mental performance.
All About Moderation
Coffee. Cappuccino. Macchiato. Latte. Espresso. French press. Pour over. Cold brew. All these versions of coffee drinks can have the ability to start your day, pick you up, make you smile, and vastly improve quality of life.
Although there are so many benefits to drinking coffee, it is important to treat coffee and other caffeinated drinks in moderation. Too much coffee at once can cause anxiety and sleep disorders. Experts quantify one to four cups of coffee (up to about 400mg caffeine) daily as “normal” consumption, without taking into consideration other daily intake of caffeine-containing supplements or other beverages.
Can lower risk for developing type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes? Coffee? We know – it seems like an unlikely relationship, but hear us out. Several nutritional research studies in adults have consistently shown that coffee-consumers had lower number of incidents of high blood sugar when compared with people who don’t drink coffee regularly.
It is not well known why this preventative action occurs among coffee-drinkers – it could be that coffee drinkers tend to lead healthier lives than non-coffee drinkers. Whatever the cause may be, multiple studies have confirmed this connection. Enough said, raise your mugs and take another sip!
References
1. Caffeine: How much is too much? Nutrition and Healthy Eating. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-2004578. Published March 8, 2017. Accessed June 17, 2019.
2. Ruxton, C. H. (2008). The impact of caffeine on mood, cognitive function, performance and hydration: A review of benefits and risks. Nutrition Bulletin, 33(1), 15-25. Retrieved April 06, 2019, from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2007.00665.x.
3. van Dam RM, Hu FB. Coffee Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review. JAMA. 2005;294(1):97–104. doi:10.1001/jama.294.1.97
4. Yashin, A., Yashin, Y., Wang, J. Y., & Nemzer, B. (2013). Antioxidant and Antiradical Activity of Coffee. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 2(4), 230–245. doi:10.3390/antiox2040230
About the Author of this Blog
Suzi Sampeck graduated with Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition from Meredith College in 2017 and is a Registered Dietitian and licensed nutritionist currently working as a Clinical Dietitian in a rural community hospital in North Carolina.