Tuesday, August 9, 2011

How Does Drinking Coffee Benefit Health?

By Ray Marsh


Many people have stopped drinking coffee completely among fears that it is bad for their health. These people believe that coffee can cause frequent urination, restlessness at night, and an addiction to caffeine. Excessive coffee drinking may cause these things. However, research has shown there are some significant benefits, as well as some nasty downsides, to drinking coffee that should be considered before you brew another cup. This article will look at some of the health effects coffee could have on your body.

At the same time, drinking coffee can be used as a stimulant to provide an added burst of energy. But, can drinking coffee actually be good for your health or bad? Find out a few of the health benefits of drinking coffee, in moderate amounts, below.

Studies also show that the students who drank moderate amounts of coffee scored higher on tests than those who did not. Among those over the age of 80, studies have shown that drinking coffee can lead to improved cognitive memory functions. Coffee has also been directly linked to lower risks of developing dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Low-density lipoprotein, commonly referred to as LDL has also been proven to be raised by consuming large amounts of coffee. High LDL levels are an indicator of high cholesterol, which is strongly associated with cardiovascular disease. With higher cholesterol comes a significantly greater risk of vascular disease, stroke, and heart attack. Further research has shown that making simple changes like using paper filters when brewing coffee can eliminate many of the elements that lead to high cholesterol in the coffee. The paper filters have a property that binds the more harmful compounds like cafestol and kahweol, which are only present within coffee beans. Using a plunger filter or a pressing pot by comparison is not as safe as using a paper filter.

If you want to lose weight you might want to consider cutting out caffeine and yes, that morning cup of coffee. If you want to avoid long term weight gain you should avoid caffeine. At first you may feel as though you can lose weight drinking a couple cups every day. This happens as a result of the diuretic effect of coffee, you'll initially lose water weight but not fat. Caffeine increases hormones that increase your risk for hypoglycemia otherwisse known as low blood sugar levels. The reality is that your appetite will increase makind you feel hungry more often.

It has been found that both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee have a light laxative effect that can stop constipation. As a result of the laxative effect, it is speculated that coffee drinking can aid in reducing the risk of developing colon cancer. However, people that drink a lot coffee also have loose bowel movements. If this the real thing, then moderating your coffee drinking can help to rectify this.

So, drinking a moderate serving of caffeine isn't overly harmful. Don't forget about the health risks associated with drinking large amounts of coffee. Don't forget to monitor and regulate yourself and you won't have a problem. Research may have shown some benefits to drinking one or two cups of coffee for most people, but the key word to remember is moderation.




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