Five Ways Coffee Can Help Ameliorate Your Health

With all of the health benefits for coffee and its amazing properties, it only makes sense that people take a little extra care with their lattes at home; but how exactly can drinking coffee benefit you? In this post, I’ll share five ways for your body to thank coffee every day.

1. It is good for your gut

One cup of Joe contains around 1 gram of fiber and almost 20 grams of protein. And if this is even half of what the average American receives in daily fiber intake per day, it doesn’t sound like too much by any stretch. Fiber has been shown to slow down digestion, which means that it also helps lower cholesterol levels and decrease inflammation throughout the body. This means that a healthy diet and lifestyle are key. when it comes to getting more daily fiber. A high-fiber diet and exercise plan that includes plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, beans, nuts, seeds, and legumes are great options. Keep in mind that if your diet isn’t as rich in the foods listed above, that’s okay because there are other things you can put into your body that will help you get the most out of your coffee! For example, try adding some black beans into your morning brew to increase the amount of antioxidants found in the fruit. Black beans are loaded with copper, zinc, magnesium, potassium, manganese, foliate, phosphorus, selenium and flavonoids, all of which have strong anti-inflammatory properties, which could be helpful for reducing chronic pain and inflammation.

2. You can make coffee the perfect drink for weight loss

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This is another study showing just how powerful coffee can be for those who are looking to lose weight. The researchers say that the antioxidants present in coffee can play an important role in helping burn calories and keep your metabolism running efficiently. But don’t worry; while they did find evidence that caffeinated drinks can cause weight gain, they also noted that other factors, such as alcohol consumption and physical activity, were more likely to cause weight gain than coffee itself. These findings were published in “The Journal of Nutrition Research.”

3. If you have diabetes, consider giving coffee a warm welcome to improve blood sugar control

You likely already know about people who need insulin in order to function properly, and you probably understand how important insulin is for keeping diabetes under control. Since type 2 diabetics often have trouble controlling their blood sugar levels, this can not only have negative effects on their lives, but also on others. To avoid this, it’s best to include a source of insulin in your diabetes medications. One way you can do this is through using coffee. Adding water or milk to your coffee will prevent you from over consuming sugars, which can then lead to hypoglycemia, which would be a problem if you’re on insulin. Although this may seem counterintuitive, it actually works out quite well for those who have diabetes. As previously mentioned caffeine gives the body stimulants and can help with energy production. This is especially true if you have a hard time focusing when your brain is trying to absorb glucose (the same kind of glucose that your body needs in order for your cells to work). That’s why one of the biggest disadvantages of taking medication for diabetes is usually not having enough to eat. By providing your body with both carbs and fat, you’re able to optimize your insulin level and reduce cravings. Just remember that there are still times when eating your carbohydrates is necessary, so always check with your doctor before changing up your insulin dosage.

4. Coffee is effective for weight reduction for men (and women)

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Coffee isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. According to research, caffeinated beverages are associated with a decreased risk of obesity and overweight, and a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease. Why should this be the case? Well simply put, people with metabolic syndrome (a cluster of conditions that results from unhealthy habits like lack of exercise and excess calorie intake) were less likely to consume coffee. So even though coffee isn’t going away anytime soon, you might want to start incorporating a little bit into your routine. Caffeine, along with certain nutrients called polyphenols, can help reduce inflammation and fight oxidative damage, which can all reduce calorie intake and decrease appetite and overall bodyweight. Even better yet, these polyphenol compounds show promise when it comes to weight loss. They can help you eat fewer calories by affecting what’s known as thermogenesis. Thermogenesis occurs when calories are burned off your food; this process produces heat to help us digest our food and feel satisfied. However, your body will naturally crave more calories as you continue to eat a certain number of calories each day. This leads to increased hunger hormones, which can then drive you to overeat. However, by replacing your caloric intake with coffee, your body is now able to produce heat through thermogenesis. Therefore, instead of relying on food for satiety and energy, which are not readily available, your body is now utilizing the calories from coffee as a method of satisfying cravings. The good news? There is no need to stop drinking caffeine completely at first. Over time, it will slowly replace all other forms of caffeine, making you more accustomed to this habit. Now that we’ve covered a few different aspects of coffee, let’s look at a few more methods of incorporating coffee into your life that might help you experience a healthier lifestyle.

5. Coffee improves memory

Another piece of anecdotal evidence says that consuming caffeine regularly may also improve mental performance and cognition. According to studies on rats and humans, the consumption of caffeinated beverages actually improves your ability to learn new information and retain data. Furthermore, older adults who drank coffee showed improvements in their long-term memory. Finally, individuals who consumed tea or green tea showed improved cognitive performance in tests of concentration, test-taking speed, memory retention and mood. These findings may explain why many seniors and students seem to remember more. On top of improving your memory, you might want to start including coffee in your daily schedule since this habit is linked to improved quality of sleep, reduced stress, and lowered blood pressure. Remember too that the longer you spend drinking coffee, the stronger the effect becomes. Therefore, try cutting back on caffeinated beverages for a while and re-drinking them later if needed. Be sure to experiment with different coffee flavors to ensure that you’re getting the right blend of caffeine. Additionally, try brewing two cups to see if this will improve your enjoyment of drinking coffee. Afterward, make sure to stay hydrated while you’re reading and drinking your favorite beverage for at least 30 minutes. Also be mindful after sipping coffee that you should always avoid eating anything and everything during this time. Instead, enjoy your meal, snack on something else and indulge in a hot shower afterwards. Doing so will give your body just the right amount of time to adapt and improve its abilities.

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