9 Healthy
Reasons To Indulge Your Coffee Cravings
Coffee gets a bad rap, but
studies show your java habit may actually be good for you. From a reduced
cancer risk to fewer cavities, here are the best reasons to enjoy a cup or two.
There's no need to feel guilty about
your morning cup o’ joe. On the contrary: People who drink four or more cups of
coffee a day have up to a 20 percent lower risk of melanoma than those who sip
the dark stuff less often, according to a 2015
study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
But this study is hardly the first
one touting good news for java junkies. "Coffee is incredibly rich in
antioxidants, which are responsible for many of its health benefits,"
says Joy Bauer, RD,
nutrition and health expert for Everyday Health and The Today Show. And studies
show that its caffeine content may also play a protective role in some health
conditions.
Beyond lowering your skin cancer
risk, you may be surprised to learn that coffee can also decrease your odds of
developing the following health issues:
1.
Stroke.
People who consumed higher amounts
of coffee (and/or green tea) each day showed a lower risk of stroke when
compared to those who rarely consumed the beverages, according to a 2013
study published in the journal Stroke.
2.
Diabetes.
People who increased their coffee consumption by more than
one cup per day over a four-year period had an 11 percent lower risk of type
2 diabetes over the following four years
compared to those who did not change their intake, according to a 2014
study led by Harvard School of Public Health.
The researchers also found that decreasing coffee intake by more than a cup per
day resulted in a 17 percent higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
3.
Stress
Does the smell of a rich French
roast seem to wake you up on a sluggish morning? Turns out the aroma may help
minimize the effects of sleep deprivation on your body. A 2008 study published
in the Journal Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that when stressed-out, sleep-deprived rats
simply smelled coffee, they experienced a trigger in gene activity known to
protect nerve cells from stress-related damage.
4.
Tooth
decay.
Although sipping a cup of java
doesn't mean you can ditch the floss, coffee may help boost your dental health.
A 2009
study published in the Journal of Conservative Dentistry found that black coffee can help prevent tooth decay —
the scientists behind the study advised that additives like milk and sugar have
a counterproductive effect.
5.
Parkinson's
disease.
If Parkinson's disease runs in your family, here’s some
promising news: A 2007
study conducted on people with a family history found that those who drank coffee were less likely to
develop the debilitating neurological disease than those who didn't drink the
brew. A 2000
study published in Journal of the American Medical Association also demonstrated the protective effects of caffeine
without a family history as well: This research revealed a significantly lower
occurrence of Parkinson’s disease among participants with higher coffee and
caffeine intake.
6.
Breast
cancer.
Women who drank boiled Scandinavian
coffee, which is similar to stronger French press, Turkish, or Greek varieties,
more than four times a day had a reduced risk of breast cancer when compared to
women who drank it less than once a day, according to a 2010
study published in the journal Cancer Causes & Control.
An important note: Because the
coffee wasn't filtered, it contained up to 80 times as many coffee-specific
fatty acids, which have been linked to slower growth of cancerous cells.
7.
Heart
disease.
Drinking 3 to 4 cups of coffee per
day can lower your risk of developing clogged arteries, an indicator of heart
disease, according to a March
2015 study published in the journal Heart.
A 2006
study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which tracked 27,000 women for 15 years, also found that
post-menopausal women who drank 1 to 3 cups of coffee per day lowered their
risk of death from cardiovascular disease and other inflammatory diseases.
8.
Throat and
mouth cancers.
Although the research on coffee's
cancer-fighting properties has been mixed, a 2012
study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that the caffeinated kind may guard against
death from throat and mouth cancers. Compared with coffee abstainers, those who
drank more than four cups daily had about half the risk of death from certain
mouth and throat cancers.
One coffee caveat: Most health
experts agree it's wise to limit your intake to a few cups a day — that's a
standard 8-ounce mug, not the super-sized beverages many coffee shops offer.
Overdoing it can lead to interrupted sleep or insomnia, stomachaches, a racing
heart, nervousness, irritability, and nausea. Remember, we're talking coffee
with a splash of milk — not loaded with whipped cream and sugary syrups.
"Adding a lot of calories to your coffee can actually raise your risk for
diseases like stroke and diabetes," says Keri Gans, RD, a nutritionist in private practice in New York City.
Also, doctors recommend that pregnant women or people with
certain health issues, such as high blood pressure or high blood sugar, limit
their caffeine intake. Talk to your doctor if you're concerned about how much
coffee is safe for you.
By Rachel Grumman Bender
HUFFINGTON
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