It used to be that coffee was considered a guilty pleasure, but today we know that it can provide numerous health benefits and boost athletic performance. Best of all, more appears to be better!
New research shows that because coffee is very high in antioxidants, it provides a long list of benefits: less risk of diabetes, protection from aerobic induced oxidative stress, less chronic inflammation, cancer prevention, Alzheimer’s prevention, and better mood. Plus, the caffeine in coffee can improve athletic performance and increase work capacity.
Coffee contains caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid, which are super rich in antioxidants. These antioxidants can neutralize free radicals that cause oxidative stress and lead to chronic inflammation, which is a major player in elevated disease risk and earlier death.
Additionally, it’s well established that coffee improves the cell’s sensitivity to insulin, which is important for a healthy metabolism and to prevent diabetes. Coffee can also help you maintain energy levels because it enhances fat burning when glucose levels are lower. One recent study showed that with each cup of coffee participants consumed daily, the risk of type 2 diabetes dropped by 7 percent.
A new study provides convincing evidence that coffee can prevent estrogen-related cancers such as endometrial cancer, which is cancer of the endometrial lining of the uterus. A large-scale study of over 67,000 women demonstrated that women who drank four or more cups of coffee per day had a 25 percent lower risk than those who did not drink coffee regularly. The study showed the greatest benefits from regular coffee—a 30 percent lower risk of cancer—but decaffeinated also produced a 22 percent lower risk.
Researchers think that cancer rates were lower due to the reduced oxidative stress from the high antioxidant activity provided by coffee. In addition, coffee upregulates the expression of enzymes in the liver that help metabolize estrogen down the healthiest C-2 pathway. This is a much preferred pathway for eliminating extra estrogen from the body and would likely play a role in preventing related sex organ cancers such as breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer in men.
One thing to consider is that due to different genotypes, everyone doesn’t respond in the same way to caffeine. Some people feel jittery or anxious from caffeine that is derived from coffee and do better drinking green tea or avoiding caffeine altogether. Other cases in which you may want to cut out coffee are if you take prescription drugs, or are a woman at risk of osteoporosis because caffeine may inhibit bone building.