In Favor of your Morning Joe

 Coffee.  Depending who you talk to, it's good for you or it's bad for you.  The truth is the health benefits generally outweigh any possible risks.  When we were kids we all heard "Coffee will stunt your growth."  I confess I even tried this line on my kids, mostly because the little heathens do NOT need any help staying awake!  Luckily there is no evidence coffee inhibits development or growth, but it's still probably not a good idea to give the little darlings a stimulant if you'd like them to go to bed at a decent hour, because coffee indeed contains the well known stimulant, caffeine.  Another myth linking coffee to heart disease and/or increased mortality, is an outdated theory, most likely because at the time, it was not taken into account that heavy coffee drinkers were more likely to also be heavy smokers. 

So, on to the benefits!

1)  Caffeine may help protect brain cells from Parkinson's, Dementia, and Alzheimer's disease.  And because coffee beans are in fact BEANS, they contain those lovely plant antioxidants which may also protect your liver.  In fact according to an article published by The American Gastroenterology Association (Gastroenterolgy, Volume 144, Issue 4, Pages 670-672, April 2013), coffee may be a valid adjunct to therapy for liver disease.

2)  Coffee boosts your brainpower.  A cup of java before a big test or other brain intensive task can sharpen your memory and keep you alert.  Millions of college kids can't be wrong!

3)  Coffee may help in weight-loss or weight maintenance efforts.  Caffeine can give your metabolism a boost, increasing your fat burning power.  Decreasing your BMI to a healthy range can prevent Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.  Additionally black coffee is one of the lowest calorie drinks you can find. 

4)  There is evidence caffeine can also improve your athletic performance.  Caffeine increases adrenaline levels in the blood. This is the “fight or flight” hormone, designed to make our bodies ready for intense physical exertion.  Caffeine makes the fat cells break down body fat, releasing them into the blood as free fatty acids and making them available as fuel for physical activity.

5)  Coffee contains nutrition!  A single cup of coffee contains:

• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 11% of the RDA.
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5): 6% of the RDA.
• Manganese and Potassium: 3% of the RDA.
• Magnesium and Niacin (B3): 2% of the RDA.

If you are like most people, and drink more than one cup per day, these nutrients add up!

6)  Coffee may fight depression.  Depression is a serious mental disorder that causes a significantly reduced quality of life.  It is incredibly common and about 4.1% of people in the U.S. currently meet the criteria for clinical depression.  In a Harvard study published in 2011, women who drank 4 or more cups per day had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed.  Another study with 208,424 individuals found that those who drank 4 or more cups per day were 53% less likely to commit suicide.

7)  Coffee is a significant source of antioxidants in a Western diet. For people who eat a standard Western diet, coffee may actually be the healthiest aspect of the diet.  Coffee contains a massive amount of antioxidants.Coffee has an ORAC (Oxygen radical absorbance capacity) value ranging between 15,000 - 17,000 per CUP.  In fact, studies show that most people get more antioxidants from coffee than both fruits and vegetables… combined.

Now go have a cup of java!  It's GOOD for you! We recommend our delicious Ruta Maya 100% organic whole bean coffee. Mmmmmmmmm.
   
    ~  Mary Beth