Coffee has long been known for its beneficial effects, but now let’s take a look at what these benefits are.
Coffee contains significant amounts of chlorogenic acid, caffeine and terpenes.
In laboratory studies, chlorogenic acids have been shown to have antioxidant effects, but it is questionable whether these effects persist when consumed. Caffeine is absorbed very rapidly from the intestinal tract and is therefore quickly absorbed throughout the body. However, the effect of coffee consumption can easily be influenced by the caffeine content of the beverage, the quality of the beans and the way in which they are prepared.
What effect does drinking coffee have on your body?
Several studies have shown that drinking at least four to six cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about a third. Most of the studies show that decaffeinated coffee has the same effect, but much weaker.
Other studies also show that drinking at least one cup of coffee a day in men reduced the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease by 40-60% over the following ten years.
However, there are conflicting findings on long-term coffee consumption by women. In women who received hormone replacement therapy after the menopause, caffeine did not protect against the development of Parkinson’s disease, suggesting that the estrogen hormone may alter the effects of caffeine.
Chronic liver inflammation can result in the longer term in, among other things, cirrhosis, which is associated with the ongoing death of liver cells, deterioration of liver function and other complications, not uncommonly malignant tumours of the liver. A significant number of studies have shown that regular coffee drinking reduces the risk of cirrhosis and associated mortality.
It is also worth noting that although it has been found to raise blood pressure in clinical trials, there is no evidence that it increases the incidence of cardiovascular disease.
In addition to adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, drinking three cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and related fractures.
