Coffee has many health benefits. | Wikimedia Commons
Whether it’s the earthy smell wafting from your mother’s coffee pot in the morning, or the comfort of your own warm cup of fresh brew, most people have a personal tie to coffee.
Love it or hate it, people across the globe rely on coffee to kick start their mornings with a rush of caffeine. Research shows that coffee, in reasonable amounts, has health benefits, including preventing disease and improving memory.
According to Johns Hopkins Medical School, “recent studies found that coffee drinkers are less likely to die from some of the leading causes of death in women: coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease.”
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medical School also claim that drinking one to two cups of coffee a day decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, and heart failure.
According to an article published by Cleveland clinic, coffee contains nutrients including B vitamins, potassium, and riboflavin.
Coffee beans are also a strong source of antioxidants and phenolic compounds that prevent cell damage. According to an article published by Johns Hopkins Medicine, “Dark roast coffee decreases breakage in DNA strands, which occur naturally but can lead to cancer or tumors if not repaired by your cells.”
Cleveland Clinic describes phenolic compounds as “substances found in plant foods that play a key role in your body’s defense systems, protecting it from oxidative stress, as well as inflammation.”
All of these benefits in combination promote longevity and improved quality of life.
Another area of emerging research is coffee’s positive impact on memory. Cleveland Clinic cites that coffee “acts on your brain to improve memory, mood, reaction times and mental function,” with one study even finding that caffeine can “improve endurance and performance during exercise.”
Johns Hopkins University’s findings support this research through their study in which participants “who were given 200-milligram caffeine tablets after studying a series of images were better at distinguishing these same images from similar ones when tested the next day.”
According to an article published by Johns Hopkins University, researchers found that caffeine intake optimizes “pattern separation,” the act of distinguishing between similar images.
Pattern separation is more difficult for the brain to engage in than simple image recognition, demonstrating how coffee’s positive impact on brain processes.
These studies conclude that caffeine increases memory retention for up to 24 hours after consumption. Neuroscience departments across the country are delving into research expanding beyond this 24-hour window to test the relationship between coffee intake and long term memory retention.
So don’t be afraid to enjoy the comfort of an occasional cup of coffee — and take advantage of its health benefits.
