5 Health Benefits of Coffee
What is coffee good for?
Coffee can help prevent certain illnesses and help to keep your memory in shape and improve your physical and mental performance. Its benefits and properties are many, discover them in this article.
The nervousness myth that it makes you drowsy and prevents you from sleeping is passing away. The properties of coffee are increasingly accepted by all professionals, at least in moderate doses. According to experts from the Mexican Association of the Coffee Chain (Amecafé), coffee can be a natural product that can help prevent certain illnesses and contribute to keeping your memory in shape and boosting your physical and mental performance.
Coffee contains four times more health-promoting components than other natural beverages because of the large amount of antioxidants that can help slow down the ageing process. In addition, a couple of cups of coffee a day helps you maintain concentration and mental alertness.
Coffee benefits
The benefits of coffee are many, and new ones are being added all the time. If you are a passionate coffee drinker, the good news is that you are already enjoying its properties. On the other hand, if you are not a coffee drinker, after reading this list of medical uses and properties, you will surely want to incorporate coffee into your life.
- Prevents degenerative diseases: in moderate doses, coffee consumption helps to prevent some diseases, especially neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s, as it helps to preserve memory and increases physical and mental performance.
- Delays ageing: because of its high antioxidant content, drinking 2 to 4 cups a day can halt cell deterioration and thus slow down the ageing process.
- Controls diabetes: moderate consumption of this infusion acts as a protector against type 2 diabetes, as it combats the oxidative stress caused by this chronic disease.
- Prevents gout: a moderate dose of coffee per day helps to reduce the likelihood of gout by 40%, as it naturally reduces uric acid levels.
- Combats asthma: this benefit is due to the fact that caffeine dilates the bronchial tubes, thus promoting the free and moderate passage of oxygen.
- Prevents cirrhosis of the liver: coffee reduces the risk of developing this serious liver disease, especially in cases where it has been caused by poorly cured non-viral hepatitis.
- Controls depression: due to its stimulating and energising power, coffee is a great ally for regulating mood. It acts on your neurotransmitters, triggering the release of epinephrine and dopamine, two key substances for counteracting depression.
- Reduces headaches: coffee provides energy and can relieve headaches by dilating blood vessels in the brain, as long as you drink it in moderate doses.
- Helps the mind: it is a rich source of potassium, magnesium and fluoride, so it helps the mind and memory perform well.
- Prevents colon and rectal cancer: coffee inhibits the secretion of bile acids, which can be a crucial factor in the development of colon and rectal cancer.
Are there any contraindications to coffee?
Long gone are the old clichés about coffee relating to nervousness and irritation.
The main compound for which coffee is known and consumed is caffeine. Caffeine is a nervous system stimulant that reduces tiredness and makes us feel more energetic, as well as having diuretic effects.
It is important to know that the caffeine content varies greatly between the two species of coffee cultivated: robusta coffee and arabica coffee. The former has almost twice as much caffeine as the latter. In addition, the type of coffee machine used has an influence, with the longer the coffee is in contact with boiling water, the higher the concentration.
According to the British Medical Journal, moderate coffee consumption during pregnancy does not harm health or affect the baby’s development. However, it should be noted that caffeine and pregnancy are incompatible in doses of more than one or two cups a day.
On the other hand, according to a study published in the journal of the American Medical Association at Harvard University, coffee does not increase the risk of hypertension. In this, as in other cases, the key to avoiding the disadvantages of coffee seems to be moderate consumption.
Another option is to take advantage of the benefits of decaffeinated coffee: they are the same as those of regular coffee, with the difference that by eliminating the caffeine, the disadvantages of coffee disappear.
The best coffee recipes
If you are not satisfied with just savouring a steaming cup of coffee, there are other ways to enjoy the aroma and flavour of this beverage. Choose the recipes that interest you most, and be surprised by the versatility of coffee in the kitchen.
Frapuchino or frappé coffee: a delicious combination of coffee, milk and ice, ideal for summer because of its freshness. To the basic recipe you can add the extra ingredients you like: chocolate, coconut, ice cream, cream or cream… The possibilities are endless, so go ahead and play with the flavours.
Iced coffee cream: it is very easy to make and does not need to be refrigerated. It is ideal to accompany cold and warm desserts, such as brownies or crepes.
Mocha cream: this delicious and traditional coffee cream is ideal for filling cakes, tarts and all kinds of desserts. It has a smooth consistency and an intense flavour, you won’t want to stop eating it.
Tiramisu (Italian dessert): it is a classic of Italian cuisine, which has crossed borders due to its irresistible taste. This dessert has several ingredients, but coffee is the key ingredient. Prepare it and show it off to your guests or enjoy it on your own.More information at arabicabeans.co.uk
