Coffee is one of the most popular beverages all around the world. You may have heard that there are many health benefits of coffee. However, coffee can cause problems in some people. Let’s take a close look at coffee and its health effects – both positives and negatives.
The health benefits of drinking coffee
- Contains rich antioxidants and some essential nutrients (like vitamin B, potassium, folate, and manganese.)
- Enhances brain function and metabolism
- Improves liver health
- Lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes
- Protects the brain from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s
- Reduces risk of heart disease
Given these health benefits, coffee drinkers may have a lower risk of many common diseases. Some studies have even shown that coffee may help you live longer!
However, coffee can have various negative effects that you need to know.
The problems of drinking coffee
- Can cause anxiety: consuming too much caffeine can cause anxiety, jitteriness, and panic attacks.
- Can disrupt sleep: if you have this problem, try quitting coffee after 2 pm.
- Can lead to addiction: caffeine is addictive! It can lead to tolerance and withdrawal symptoms (like tiredness, headaches, and irritability).
Keep in mind these negative effects of coffee and make sure you don’t drink excessive amounts.
How to make your coffee healthier
Here are some tips to help you maximize the health benefits of coffee.
- Don’t add a lot of sugar: sugar is one of the worst ingredients. If you need some sweetener in coffee, try some natural ingredients like stevia.
- Quit coffee after 2 pm: especially when you have poor sleep quality.
- Avoid artificial and low-fat creamers: most of them are highly processed.
- Choose a better quality and organic coffee
- Add some spices to improve the health benefits and enhance the flavours. Try these healthy and delicious spices:
- Cinnamon: can lower blood glucose and cholesterol
- Red Ginger: improve digestion system and gut health
- White Turmeric: anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety
Many studies show that coffee is linked to various health benefits. However, it also has some negative side effects. If you are like me who enjoys coffee most days, be aware not have excess. By following the tips above and building up a good healthy coffee routine, you can improve health benefits even further!