A 2017 study published in Scientific Reports found that there are 24 compounds that can boost a brain enzyme that protects against dementia. One of those compounds is caffeine. Coffee is surprisingly powerful in this regard.
A study done at the University of California has found that adults who drink at least 200 mg of caffeine can significantly boost brain function and memory. If you or someone you know has a risk of dementia, then it might be worth a shot, as long as they tolerate caffeine.
Coffee is known for being able to help reduce the risk of some cancers and, after a study in 2017 in Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers, colon cancer joined the list. In fact, coffee can cut your risk for colon cancer by 26%! Sound too good to be true? Trust us, we get it, but you'd be surprised!
The interesting part of the study explained that drinking decaf coffee could also have the same effect. This means that it may not be the caffeine. This is great news for anyone that can't drink a lot of caffeine without experiencing jitters! Caffeine could still lower the risk of colon cancer, but it isn't the sole reason.
If you're one of those that are truly coordinated and don't trip over the air or your own feet, be blessed. However, if you're one of those that need a little help in the coordination department, you're definitely not alone, but there's good news!
A 2010 review in the journal Nutrition found that the caffeine in coffee can enhance your neuromuscular coordination, which makes your brain send messages to your muscles faster. Guess coffee can help prevent tripping over your own feet and random cracks in the sidewalks.
Looking for a daily pick me up for your metabolism? Just head to that coffee maker in your kitchen! An older study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has suggested that drinking it can speed up your heart rate because it's absorbed into your bloodstream so quickly.
This faster heart rate and absorption are thanks to the four different types of stimulants in coffee, and all of this increases your metabolism. This boost in your metabolism helps increase the rate at which you burn calories while you're at rest. The higher your metabolic rate, the easier it is for you to lose weight.
You always hear about how good carrots are for your eyes, but surprisingly, coffee is pretty good for them too! There are a few different things that coffee can do for your eyes, so we'll look at the cosmetic aspects first. Coffee can make your eyes less puffy and reduce dark circles. This is because coffee constricts the blood vessels beneath your skin, which will reduce the swelling and give you a mostly-awake look.
Healthwise, coffee can also protect your eyes. A 2013 study published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that drinking coffee can significantly decrease your risk for retinal degeneration. Retinal degeneration is a disease that consists of the retina decaying due to the death of its cells. Retinal degeneration can cause impaired vision, night blindness, and light sensitivity. So, maybe pick yourself up a cup of coffee on your way to the office. Your eyes just might thank you later.
In 2014, Harvard revealed the results of a 20-year study that showed coffee-drinkers had a significant decrease in their risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Over the past 20 years, researchers at Harvard have tracked more than 100,000 people and found that people who increased their coffee intake by one or more extra cups a day decreased their risk of type 2 diabetes by about 11%.
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that the health benefits for coffee can vary from case to case. Genes play a role in how your body metabolizes coffee and how it will affect your blood sugar. So that should be taken into account, and it would be best to talk with your doctor before you start adding a lot of black coffee to your diet.
Heart disease is a terrifying concept, and it can affect anyone. Heart disease is specifically a disorder of the blood vessels that can increase your risk for heart attacks, and it causes at least 600,000 deaths in the U.S. alone every year. Crazy, right? But coffee can help.
A 2017 study by the University of Colorado suggested that drinking your favorite coffee could reduce your risk of dying from heart disease. Researchers presented their findings at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions. They found that for every eight-ounce cup of coffee consumed per day, the risk of heart disease decreases by about 5%.
Depression is a problem that plagues more than 260 million different people, according to the World Health Organization. However, if you're looking for a bit of a mental pick me up, then reach for a nearby cup of joe and start sipping.
A 2013 study in the World Journal of Biological Psychiatry found that coffee acts as a mild anti-depressant! When you drink a cup of coffee, it boosts the feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain. The study examined 44,000 men and 74,000 women, and it found that a few cups of coffee reduced the risk of suicide by at least 50%.
Having stomach problems? If you can tolerate coffee, you might try to drink a cup of the good stuff. A study by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry found that coffee can help increase fiber intake.
We still recommend eating plenty of fibrous foods (like whole grains and vegetables), drinking a single cup of coffee could increase your absorption of fiber up to 1.8 grams! Considering we need around 20 to 38 grams per day, every little bit counts.
Sadly, there's no cure for Alzheimer's yet, a disorder that slowly causes memory loss and mental decline in the elderly. However, coffee can help reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's in the first place. A 2016 meta-analysis published in Nutrition found that drinking high levels of coffee were associated with a 27% decrease in risk for developing the disease.
We know what you're wondering, just how does coffee do this? Well, a 2014 study by the University of Bonn found that caffeine has a positive effect on the tau protein, which is very closely linked to Alzheimer's. Researchers are still working with this link to try and create a new set of medications to possibly treat and at least delay the onset of Alzheimer's.
Who doesn't want long, gorgeous, and glowing hair? Okay, so the long part will vary a little bit, but coffee can help out your hair in a lot of different ways. In a 2007 study by the Journal of Dermatology, researchers found that caffeine can act as potential hair growth. After being treated with caffeine, men saw a 46% increase in hair follicle growth and a 37% increase in the life cycle of their hair.
Another major benefit of coffee is that it can make your hair shiny! So, if you're looking for a little bit of shine, grab yourself a nice cold brew, but don't drink it. It's actually suggested that you pour cold brew coffee over your hair in the shower then work it in like you would shampoo before you rinse it out. Doing this will give you that gorgeous glowy hair that you normally see in shampoo commercials.
There are thousands of people out there who deal with annoying and irritating dandruff. We completely get it; dandruff is one of the biggest inconveniences out there. Sure, you can buy super expensive shampoos and other products to get rid of dandruff, or you could just use coffee.
You can buy some nice coffee hair masks and scrubs out there, basically any makeup store will have some either online or in the store itself. However, if you'd prefer a more homemade and cheaper remedy, you can make some yourself. If you mix up coffee grounds and coconut oil into a paste and rub it into your scalp, you'll easily get rid of any of that dry or flaky skin-irritating your head. Just be careful washing it down the drain, since coffee grounds can clog easily.
We're not saying to stop brushing or flossing. However, coffee can help protect your teeth according to a 2009 study. The study, which appeared in the Journal of Conservative Dentistry, found that drinking coffee can help prevent cavities and tooth decay. Coffee does this through antibacterial activities against a few specific microorganisms that are the major causes of dental cavities.
There's still research being done, and before you get too excited, there are a few downsides to this. Coffee is notorious for staining your teeth and can sometimes lead to enamel erosion. If you really want to drink some coffee to help stave off cavities, then, by all means, go for it. Just make sure you're still brushing and flossing regularly.
Okay, we definitely aren't saying that coffee is some kind of sunscreen or even as effective as sunscreen but hear us out. A 2014 study in BMC Cancer found that drinking coffee can help reduce your risk of melanoma.
Essentially, the more coffee that you consume, the lower the risk you have for developing melanoma. According to a study by the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, drinking four cups of coffee a day was associated with a 20% lower risk of melanoma. However, you have to keep in mind that drinking that much coffee a day can have some other health risks tacked onto it.
Okay, guys, let's get real for a minute. The idea of developing prostate cancer is scary, and the exams are usually invasive and uncomfortable (however, you still need to take them, so don't see this as a reason to stop going for regular check-ups). According to a 2011 study led by Harvard School of Public Health, researchers found that regularly drinking coffee could lower your risk of developing prostate cancer.
So how does it do it? Well, the coffee compounds can do everything from reducing inflammation to regulating your insulin. Not a fan of caffeinated coffee? We've got good news! Decaffeinated is just as good as the caffeinated variety, plus it won't give you all those jitters.
Years of drinking can severely hurt your liver and even put you at risk of developing several major health issues. However, coffee could be just the thing you're looking for! A 2016 review by Southampton University stated that researchers found that drinking two cups of coffee per day decreases your risk of liver cirrhosis by 44%.
The study analyzed the data from nine previously published studies, which had over 430,000 participants, which included 1,990 patients with cirrhosis. In all but one study, the risk of cirrhosis continued to decline as daily cups increased. For four cups a day, the study showed a 65% decrease, but we wouldn't suggest drinking that much!
More good reasons to get a nice cuppa joe! A study in Arthritis and Rheumatology found in a huge study that coffee can actually lower your risk of gout. The study had 50,000 male participants and found that drinking coffee long-term can lower risk by about 40% when four to five cups are consumed.
The study went on to explain that drinking six or more cups per day will lower your risk of gout by 59%, although that's a lot of caffeine for one body. Drinking too much coffee can have a host of negative side effects, so it can be a delicate balance.
Face masks are a lot of fun, right? Did you know that if you make a coffee face mask, it can help your skin? Using ground-up coffee and coconut oil and putting it on your face can give your skin a youthful glow by working as an exfoliant.
Then there's the caffeine in coffee that can help improve the blood flow to your skin and encourage cell turnover. All of this put together can help improve the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines in your skin.
Coffee's great for protecting your teeth against cavities and tooth decay, but it also helps your mouth in other ways. A 2014 study in the Journal of Periodontology has found that the regular consumption of plain black coffee can help your gums.
Coffee can help prevent gum disease. Gum disease is a horrible disease that can result in tooth loss, and several other health issues and coffee can help (as well as regular brushing and flossing). However, keep in mind that coffee's beneficial effects can be negated once things like sugar and creamers are introduced. It's probably best to start drinking black coffee.
Who doesn't love a nice coffee scrub? A coffee scrub that gets rid of those annoying (and sometimes embarrassing) cellulite dimples would be pretty great. Next time you notice some new dimples, you can combine coffee grounds and coconut oil to help scrub them away.
Over time the coffee grounds and coconut oil mix will help reduce the appearance of cellulite by tightening up the area. It also moisturizes your skin in the process! Awesome, right? However, this won't work overnight, so don't give up and keep being persistent! Also, it isn't recommended for those with sensitive skin, like those who have rosacea.
