Many people avoid taking coffee as they presume that it is not good for their health. However, as many studies suggest, coffee is not harmful and is indeed good for your health. Research shows that moderate consumption of coffee provides a boost to your overall health. Coffee is rich in many micronutrients. These minerals magnesium, potassium, niacin, manganese and riboflavin help in the various body functions of your body. It also provides a rich source of antioxidants that help the body get rid of disease-causing radical elements in the body.
Your cup of coffee does not have any fat and has low calories. It becomes the best drink when on a weight watch. However, you should be careful how you take that cup of coffee. You should know that while coffee is a zero-fat and low-calorie drink, adding milk and sugar alters this state. Having such additives in your coffee will affect the ideal nutritional value that strictly unsweetened black coffee has.
Many misconceptions surround the effect that coffee has on the body. However, understanding coffee and the benefits you can derive from it allows you to drink your cup without worries of harm coming your way. You should still know that where that coffee does provide some benefits, it still poses some risks. Knowing these risks will help you avoid them without having to give up your favorite drink.
How to take your cup of coffee for best benefits
How you take that cup of coffee will determine how the coffee will be beneficial for you. Getting it wrong will see you miss out on the benefits that coffee offers you. Taking the coffee in the manner suggested below will help you derive the most out of your coffee intake. You will safeguard your health by avoiding risks associated with the use of this beverage. You will realize that the caffeine in coffee is both a food additive as well as a drug. It will, therefore, affect the body in both negative and positive ways. You need to understand these effects as it will allow you to use the beverage to your advantage.
- Do not drink in excess
Like every good thing, moderation is key when it comes to drinking coffee. Experts recommend around 400 mg of coffee per day. This provides a good benchmark when placing a limit on your daily coffee intake. This roughly translated to 4 cups per day. If you are taking it in a diluted form, this is the measure to use. However, when taking it in a concentrated level, you need to be careful of the measure that you use.
Those who prefer it strong should also still check not to exceed the limits. You will realize that many people who take concentrated versions will use a small cup to drink from and in many cases will limit the number of times they take the beverage per day. This enables them to use the drink safely without compromising their health.
- Avoid additives
As noted earlier, this alters the state of the coffee you take. Sweeteners, whether natural or not, will introduce calories and other elements to the dink. Considering that sugar and other sweeteners carry their own health risks, adding to the coffee you drink exposes you to these risks. You should, therefore, try to take the coffee without any additives. If you cannot manage the strong taste, then you can consider the moderate introduction of the cream and sugar.
You should also minimize the intake of the drink when in this altered state. The benefits that you may have derived from the coffee drink may cancel out with the use of the additives. For example, the use of sugar can cancel out the positive effect of coffee on blood sugar regulation.
- Use organic quality brands
The coffee beans that you use will also determine the value you get from it. Coffee grows in different parts of the world. The coffee beans from these different regions have different tastes and vary in nutritious value. Be sure to use quality brands such as Kaffepunkt AS or Kimbo Coffee. You will be sure you will be getting coffee grown in the best conditions that do not introduce harmful elements to your cup of coffee.
Quality brands will ensure that the coffee you take not only tastes good but that it also has the best scent and is fit for human consumption. Poor quality coffee will not only be bad for your taste buds but may have contamination from poor handling.
- Avoid if you fall under risk groups
Coffee is not good for some people that fall under various risk groups. It has been known to affect the fertility of women and is therefore not ideal for women wishing to conceive. Pregnant women should also reduce the intake as it may cause delayed fetal development. Breastfeeding may pass the caffeine to babies, making them have trouble sleeping. Others facing menopause should reduce the coffee intake so as not to aggravate symptoms such as hot flashes.
People prone to depression and anxiety should also reduce the coffee intake as it may increase the conditions. Knowing the risks you may face will help you moderate the coffee intake. Where possible, reduce or omit the coffee intake until you feel better.
Benefits associated with drinking coffee
Drinking coffee has many health benefits. You will be glad to know that you are not harming your body every time you enjoy that cup of coffee. Coffee has caffeine, which helps to stimulate your mind. You will feel more alert when you take the beverage. It also helps to give you that shot of energy that enables you to do more with your day.
For you to enjoy the coffee and all its benefits, you should let it be a substitute for other body functions. Be sure that you follow healthy sleep patterns for that fresh and energized morning experience. You should also ensure that you eat well-balanced meals that help your body function well. Being smart about how you take care of your body will see you not have to depend on coffee for you to function well each morning. It also helps to boost the benefits that you get from coffee intake.
- Helps in keeping you hydrated
Studies show that coffee does not dehydrate but helps your body attain the required water count each day. Your body needs to maintain a fluid balance in order for it to function properly. When the fluid levels drop, you risk getting dehydrated. This causes many health complications that can lower your productivity at work and in other activities that you take part in. Many myths have it that coffee drinking causes drying out of the skin among other symptoms of low fluid levels in the body. However, research has discounted this myth and it has been shown that drinking coffee does contribute to the required fluid intake. You should therefore not stop drinking coffee as this does not cause dehydration as many think. You will still be able to maintain the required fluid levels in the body.
- Good for disease prevention
Coffee intake has proven useful in the prevention of various diseases. Research shows that people who take coffee on a regular basis gain protection from diseases such as type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and cancer, mental diseases such as Parkinson’s as well as heart conditions. The effect of coffee on the body is such that it supports some functions of the body by promoting the generation of inhibitors and such other elements that prevent disease development.
The research studies are useful in pointing out that coffee is not the monster that everyone thought it was. It serves a useful purpose in helping the body fight disease in the heart and liver among other parts of the body. You should, therefore, enjoy each cup of coffee knowing it could be aiding your body fight off illness.
- Aids in disease management
Research has shown that coffee does help in the management of some illnesses. For anyone suffering from Parkinson’s disease, the coffee can help in controlling movement. Again here, it slows the development of diseases by altering the effect of the disease-causing elements. This aid allows your body to manage the diseases better. Again, it is important to remember that such benefits come from the moderate use of the beverage.
- Ideal for weight loss efforts
Coffee is a great aid for weight management. If you want to lose weight or want to maintain an ideal weight, then your cup of coffee can help you do this. Coffee acts as an appetite suppressant. This temporary effect reduces your urge to eat. You will, therefore, eat less, which will translate to lower weight for you.
One effect of drinking coffee is an increased generation of heat and energy. This is because the coffee stimulates the body to digest food. The increased digestion will cause breaking down of excess body fat to release the required energy and heat. You should use this to your advantage as it will help with your weight management.
