Health benefits of coffee

There’s nothing like waking up in the morning to a steaming cup of coffee, is there? For some, a cup of coffee along with the news paper is a mandatory morning ritual. Needless to say, millions of people around the world are hooked to coffee — whether it is the first thing that they have in the morning or the last thing that they do before going to bed.
Contrary to popular belief, experts insist that coffee is indeed good for health.It is known to be a powerful stimulant and also helps to improve performance in physical and mental activities. It also serves as an energy booster. “I drink a lot of coffee as I study late into the night. This helps me concentrate on my work and keeps me awake, especially before an important exam,” says student Uma S, a self-professed coffee freak.
Skin deep
Coffee can keep your skin healthy in many different ways. Other than preventing skin cancer and melanoma-related diseases, coffee has antioxidant ingredients that can help reduce the occurrence of skin problems and diseases in general. Coffee gets rid of free radicals in the skin — which reduces the onset of skin-related problems such as acne and eczema. It further acts as an effective sun block and prevents sunburn and wrinkles. It also helps in treating redness and inflammation of the skin, reduces the appearance of under-eye circles and also helps get rid of cellulite.
Organic speak
Coffee can be cultivated using organic methods too. The coffee plant is grown in the shade with the help of natural soil organisms to sustain its growth. Thus, the valuable nutrients needed to preserve coffee beans are retained, adding to their health quotient. Additionally, organic coffee is produced without the use of pesticides and other chemicals.
Benefits galore
Coffee made with organic beans contains numerous health benefits. In addition to working as a stimulant, it can be used to control diseases such as asthma. It has also been proved that coffee reduces the risk of colon cancer. Organic coffee is said to contain large amounts of antioxidants as well. “Using organic coffee beans is better than using the normal ones because they are healthier and do not contain any harmful chemicals. They also taste great, since they are high on flavour,” says Unnamali Thiyagarajan, an expert on organic coffee.
All said and done, too much of a good thing can sometimes prove to be bad. Coffee can also react adversely, if consumed in excess. “One must drink only two to three cups of coffee a day. Too much of anything is not good for health,” advises Unnamalai, on a parting note.
Lessens pain
The Journal Of Pain says two cups of coffee can lower post workout muscle pain by up to 48 per cent.
Can help you burn fat
Did you know every fat burning supplement has caffeine in it. Many studies show that caffeine can increase our metabolism by 3 to 11 per cent. It is one of the very few natural substances that aids fat burning. Many studies show that caffeine can increase fat burning by 10 per cent in obese people and by 29 per cent in lean people.
Just smelling the coffee beans can make you feel less stressed
Researchers at the Seoul National University examined some rats who were sleep deprived. They exposed them to coffee aroma and observed some changes in the brain protein that is tied to stress. This doesn’t surely mean that you should keep coffee beans at your night stand but there is no harm in trying it tonight.
Coffee consumption has been linked to lower risk of suicide
A study done by Harvard School of Public Health determined that two to four cups of coffee everyday can reduce the risk of suicide in both men and women by 50 per cent. The reason behind this can be that coffee acts as a mild anti-depressant aiding in the production of neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline.
Coffee can make you a better athlete
The New York Times reports that a cup of coffee before a workout jolts athletic performance especially in endurance sports like cycling and distance running. Caffeine increases the number of fatty acids in the bloodstream, which allows athletes muscles to absorb and burn those fats as fuel, therefore saving the body's small reserves of carbohydrates for later on.
Coffee protects your body and brain
Coffee contains lots of nutrients and antioxidants that protects your body by fighting with the free radicals within your body. It protects our brain as high level of caffeine in your blood reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s, Dementia and Parkinson’s disease.
Coffee reduces the risk of stroke
People who consume two to four cups of coffee every day are associated with lower risk of heart stroke than those who don’t.
(Contributed by Monisha V)