After water, coffee is the most consumed beverage in the world: people drink more than 2 billion cups a year. Coffee has many positive, but also a few negative effects on health. In this post we turn to 5 positive effects of coffee:
- Increasing focus and alertness: Caffeine stimulates the brain and increases alertness and focus. Studies show that if you start the morning with a cup of coffee, this effect lasts throughout the day. The amount of caffeine in the coffee varied depending on how it was prepared: a cup of filter coffee, for example, contains around 75-120 mg more caffeine than a cup of espresso with around 25-30 mg.
- Improving Physical Performance: Caffeine acts as a stimulant on the body and can improve physical performance during intense physical activity. Caffeine can also improve your performance during sport by increasing your endurance and ability to regenerate.
- Antioxidants: Coffee is high in antioxidants, which can protect the body from free radicals and thus reduce the risk of oxidative stress and chronic diseases.
- Mood improvement: Caffeine increases the levels of dopamine and serotonin in the body. These two hormones are very important for well-being and mood. Thus, a cup of coffee can help improve mood and reduce stress.
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Reducing the Risk of Certain Diseases: Studies have shown that regular coffee consumption can reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and Parkinson's disease. Coffee also contains compounds that can reduce inflammation in the body.
However, it's important to note that the health effects of coffee and caffeine can vary from person to person, and that excessive coffee consumption can have negative effects, such as trouble sleeping, nervousness, and rapid heartbeat. According to current scientific knowledge, you should not consume more than 5 cups of filter coffee - this corresponds to about 375-600mg of caffeine.