Five Health Benefits of Coffee Consumption

Do you remember the “I gave up coffee” slogan of the late 1970s and early 80s? Many American consumers were ceasing to drink the world’s staple hot beverage thanks to flawed research that linked coffee consumption with heart disease and cancer. The problem with that old research is that it never took into account other bad habits, including tobacco use and lack of exercise. New, more refined research now shows there are multiple health benefits that come with daily coffee consumption.

For the record, WebMD explains that coffee research comes down to asking people about their consumption habits. In other words, it is largely observational in nature. Having said that, here are five of the health benefits of coffee consumption upon which medical science agrees:

1. Prevention of Type II Diabetes

Studies at Harvard University and UCLA suggest that regular coffee consumption can reduce the risk of developing type II diabetes. The Harvard researchers believe increasing consumption from one cup to 1.69 cups per day reduces diabetes risk by as much as 11%.

2. Liver Disease/Liver Cancer

The liver is an organ that helps to filter toxins out of the bloodstream while also producing some of the chemicals needed for digestion. Research suggests regular coffee consumption reduces the risk of certain liver diseases, including cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis. Researchers from Italy believe regular coffee consumption reduces the risk of developing liver cancer by 40% to 50%.

3. Better Heart Health

Dual studies from Harvard and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center showed the health benefits of coffee relating to heart disease are significant. The research indicates that moderate coffee consumption can reduce the risk of heart failure by as much as 11%.

4. Prevention/Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

Multiple U.S. studies have shown a link between moderate coffee consumption and preventing or treating Parkinson’s disease. One study showed a reduced risk of Parkinson’s among moderate coffee drinkers; another study showed that coffee could help treat the symptoms of those who already have the disease.

5. Prevention of Stroke

One of the more recently released studies followed more than 83,000 coffee drinkers in Japan. The study found that those consuming coffee on a regular basis were 20% less likely to suffer stroke, compared to those who consume coffee only occasionally.

Beyond the five health benefits of coffee we listed here, there are other things to consider. For example, black coffee is a great beverage choice for those who are trying to limit their calorie intake. Black coffee has only about 2 calories for an 8-ounce cup. Coffee is also rich in antioxidants, which, some scientists believe, are vitally important to good health and disease prevention.

Here at Galaxie, we believe the health benefits of coffee are definitely something worth considering. If you are interested in office coffee service for your workplace, please give us a call. We service the greater New York area with a full range of hot and cold beverages, paper accessories, and more.