Coffee is the second most consumed beverage in the world (if you take out water), so it would be good to know a little bit more about its health benefits and if it is good for you. Fortunately for avid coffee drinkers like myself, there is good news when it comes to coffee and health. Some of the benefits coffee is said to offer include:
- Ergogenic effect
- Antidiabetic effect
- Reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
- May assist in weight reduction
- Antioxidant activity
- Anticarcinogenic activity
So why does coffee provide such health benefits?
Well, it is because coffee is rich in bioactive ingredients, such as caffeine, chlorogenic acid, and trigonelline. These powerful compounds have been shown to provide multiple benefits to human health when consumed in the right dose.
Caffeine
Everyone knows about caffeine and its reputation as the “pick me up” part of coffee, which is in fact true. Caffeine is known to have the ability to increase physical exercise endurance, but it also provides other positive effects.
Several studies have concluded that caffeine consumption can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease. Their results showed that caffeine had a very strong antioxidant activity and helped in the prevention of memory loss. Other studies also suggest that caffeine provides a boost in working memory, spatial learning, and recognition.
Chlorogenic Acid
Chlorogenic acid is a phenolic compound that has been shown to help reduce blood sugar levels and promote weight loss. Previous clinical trials indicated that regular consumption of chlorogenic acid could lower the glycemic impact of foods and chronically lower background blood glucose levels of type 2 diabetics. This study suggests that chlorogenic acid can induce bodyweight reduction and regulation of lipid metabolism.
Chlorogenic acid has also shown antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticarcinogenic activities.
Trigonelline
This bioactive substance found in coffee also offers anti-diabetic effect. A study conducted in Germany showed that when the test subjects received trigonelline, there was a greater antitumor response toward anticancer drug treatment.
Conclusion
Coffee has bioactive substances that have been shown to have beneficial effects on our bodies and overall health. Even if you consume coffee for its wonderful taste and flavor, it is safe to say that you may get some benefits from this very popular beverage.