Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world and has been for a while. It gives you a boost when you first wake up, the smell is satisfying, and it tastes delicious. In the past, negative aspects of coffee have circulated. However, recent research shows it can actually improve your brain, and overall health as you age.
Delay The Onset Of Alzheimer’s
Just by consuming coffee, people with mild dementia and cognitive impairment can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s. A study conducted of 124 older adults with mild cognitive impairment ages 65 to 88 revealed that caffeine blocks brain inflammation and fights off the receptors that cause cognitive decline. The participants with early dementia and cognitive impairment were tested once and then again 2-4 years later. These studies revealed that the test subjects with high blood caffeine were less likely to develop full-blown Alzheimer’s.
Neuroscientist Chuanhai Cao, who partook in the study, stated that “These intriguing results suggest that older adults with mild memory impairment who drink moderate levels of coffee, about three cups a day, will not convert to Alzheimer’s disease or at least will experience a substantial delay before converting to Alzheimer’s.”
Live Longer
Coffee can be an answer to living longer. One large-scale study that had over 400,000 mature adult participants gave some surprising results. Men who drank 2 cups of coffee a day lived 10% longer than those who did not. Women who drank the same lived 13% longer than women who did not imbibe caffeine. 10-13% might not seem like a large number, but wouldn’t you like a 10% increase in longevity?
Boosts Brain Function & Memory
A study conducted at the University of California showed that people who consumed 200 mg of caffeine before taking a memory test received greater scores than those who did not. The participants looked at images and then were asked to come back a day later and correctly identify them. The coffee drinkers scored higher, proving that caffeine enhances long term memory. On the other hand, the study proved that people who consumed 300 mg of caffeine (more than 3 cups of coffee at once) did not do much better on the test, and complained of feeling jittery with headaches.
Caffeine will boost your brain function and memory, but it is important to note that only a certain amount will help.
More than 200 mg can have negative side effects. So, stick with two cups.
Protective Effects Against Stomach Cancer
About 27,000 cases of stomach cancer will be diagnosed this year, but coffee might help reduce your risk. A 2016 study compared regular coffee drinkers to non-coffee drinkers, and the results were minor but hopeful. Regular coffee drinkers had a 7% reduced risk of stomach cancer, and those who drank more coffee saw higher reductions. People who drank three to four cups per day were 12% less likely to develop stomach cancer.
Prevents Diabetes
Drinking coffee, whether caffeinated or not has benefits towards your glucose levels. Studies have shown you can lower your risk of type 2 diabetes just by drinking decaffeinated coffee. The author of the study stated that “compared with no coffee consumption… six cups a day of coffee was associated with a 33% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.”
This can greatly help prevent the onset of Alzheimer’s as well because about 70% of people with type 2 diabetes go on to develop Alzheimer’s.
Drinking at least 2 cups of coffee a day has been found to greatly reduce the risk of most diseases, including cardiovascular disease, and cancer. If you are an avid coffee drinker, then great, keep doing what you’re doing. If you are not, then consider drinking at least a cup a day, or opt for a non-caffeinated coffee. You can increase your overall health by adding something as simple as a cup of joe to your daily routine.