Seven surprising health benefits of drinking coffee - including warding off a ... trends now
Drinking a cup of coffee is a well-known way of boosting your energy levels at the start of the day.
But the caffeinated brew also has a range of surprising health benefits.
It has been shown to be good for your heart and even reduce the risk of type-2 diabetes, according to experts.
Here, MailOnline reveals seven health perks from drinking coffee.
Drinking coffee in moderation could be good for you, according to researchers. the caffeinated drink has been linked to reducing your risk of type-2 diabetes, Alzheimer's, heart disease and liver disease. It also can help you stay slim, help you exercise and lower your risk of depression
As well as getting you up in the morning, coffee could also make you feel happier, research suggests.
In fact, drinking at least four cups of coffee a day has been linked with a lower risk of depression, compared to just drinking one.
That is according to a Spanish study of 14,413 university graduates in 2018.
Researchers at the National Coffee Association believe one reason why coffee could lower our risk of depression is because caffeine blocks mood-depressing chemicals in the brain.
Just like caffeine stops you from falling asleep, the stimulant also blocks receptors in the brain from binding with adenosine, a chemical that causes not just fatigue but a depressed mood as well.
Supports liver healthCoffee could keep your liver healthy and protect the organ against disease.
New research suggests there is a link between coffee consumption and the risk of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – a range of liver diseases that can lead to fibrosis, cirrhosis and cancer.
The 2023 study by the University of Coimbra in Portugal, supported by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee, quizzed 156 middle-aged borderline-obese participants, most of whom had type-2 diabetes.
It found that those who drank more coffee had healthier livers.
But, it's not just due to the caffeine.
Both decaf and caffeinated beans had this positive effect on the liver.
While those who drank regular coffee were less likely to have liver fibrosis, consuming higher levels of deaf coffee was significantly associated with reduced fatty liver levels.
Drinking three to five cups of coffee a day has been shown to positive effects on your health. Some researchers say drinking four cups of coffee can reduce your risk of depression. Other studies have also shown both decaf and caffeinated beans can protect your liver against disease
Your morning fix could help you maintain a healthy weight.
Researchers say this could be because your morning brew boosts your metabolic rate — the number of calories your body uses per day — and burns fat.
Just 100mg of caffeine, about the amount in your average cup of coffee, was found to increase the resting metabolic rate of participants in a study in 1989.
The study by King's College London, found that the energy expenditure of the participants increased by about 10 per cent when they were given 100mg of caffeine at 2-hour intervals throughout the day.
Because of these findings researchers have speculated that caffeine could help weight loss in obesity treatment, but more research is needed.
A more recent study in 2004, found that drinking coffee doubled the amount of fat burned and increased energy expenditure by 13 per cent.
But, the research was backed by coffee producers Nestle.
Another US study published in The Journal of Nutrition in 2020, suggests women who drink more coffee have less body fat.
It's good for your heartIf you drink too much caffeine it can put strain on your heart and make you feel jittery.
But in moderate amounts, coffee has been shown to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
In fact, drinking three to five cups of coffee a day could be the perfect amount to keep your heart healthy.
By drinking three cups a day
