Benefits of Coffee

Many of us love coffee although it often gets a bad rap. Why? Age old myths like fat is bad for you, or lifting weights before a certain age stunts your growth. I though the age of science started in the 16th century. So why do listen to so much junk that's readily available online? Simple, people can put out anything out there with little or no science. What's even worst is the use of studies to prove a point and misusing the information to argue something that's never been proven. We we're all told by "experts" that over-consumption of coffee was bad for you heart and might even cause certain cancers. Well, guess what, not only do most of these myths have no basis in fact; coffee may actually have health benefits. Large-scale studies have shown that caffeine consumption does not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and does not raise cholesterol levels or cause irregular heartbeat. A slight, temporary rise in heart rate and blood pressure is common in those who are sensitive to caffeine-but the rise is minimal and proportional to normal activity like walking up stairs.

Depression

A joint study from the National Institutes of Health and the AARP discovered that those who drank four or more cups of coffee a day were 10 percent less likely to be depressed than someone who didn’t drink coffee at all. However, the same mental-health benefits didn’t apply to other caffeinated beverages, especially cola, which was linked to a higher risk of depression (most likely due to the high sugar content). Therefore, researchers suggest coffee’s “mood-lifting effect might be traced to its antioxidants,” reports Prevention.

It may be good for your liver

Numerous studies have suggested that caffeine helps the liver regulate itself. Research presented by the Mayo Clinic found that regular coffee consumption may reduce a person’s risk of PSC, a rare autoimmune disease that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, liver failure, and even cancer. But there's more. A separate 22-year-study of 125,000 people found that heavy drinkers who consume one cup of coffee a day were 20 percent less likely to develop alcoholic cirrhosis. Once again, those health benefits did not extend to other caffeinated drinks, including tea.

Performance booster

This is no secret: Athletes and coaches have long used coffee to boost athletic performance before a competition. Caffeine, in particular, “has been proven to increase the number of fatty acids circulating in the bloodstream,” reports The New York Times, “which enables people to run or pedal longer.” (One study suggests that as many as two-thirds of Olympic athletes were found with caffeine in their urine.)

How much should you drink prior to competing? Researchers at Coventry University in England discovered that the magic performance-enhancing ratio appears to be 6 milligrams of caffeine for every 2.2 pounds of body weight. For a 154-pound person, that’s about two cups.

There are several other health benefits regular coffee consumption brings. I won't go into all of it now but many studies have been done on the use of coffee and they agree that that Coffee NOT Caffeine can help reduce the risk of Type ll Diabetes, Pancreatic Cancer, can lower the risk of

Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, and can even make you smarter. 

How should you take your coffee? That all depends of personal preference and goals. If you're on a high fat diet like Keto, or if you're trying to improve mental function and clarity during the day, my go to is Bulletproof Coffee. It's essentially 2 cups of french pressed coffee, 1-t TBS Grass Fed Butter or Gee, and 1-2 TBS of coconut oil or MCT Oil. If you're on a fast or low fat diet take it black. The only downfall to drinking coffee is ingesting a double double from Timmies. Avoid the high sugar and enjoy that that tasty cut of joe. I know I do. 

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Coach Sil