Coffee: A great source of antioxidants; fights free radicals
Coffee… The best anti oxidant – proven By science, gifted by nature.
Coffee, favorite drink for many, has been getting a lot of bad press, due to its supposedly addictive nature. BUT I, in fact know a few people who cannot imagine their daily routine without at least one shot of coffee, each day. They swear by its immense medicinal health benefits and I agree with them…
Coffee is loaded with super concentrated amount of antioxidants. Antioxidants are the prime requirement in combating the damaging effect of excess cell oxidization and free radicals in the human body.
Coffee is called “pleasure drug” and the name is rightly justified due to its highly beneficial effects and to bring out its health effects, coffee should be consumed in its natural form. Any sugar and milk added to it, reduces the effect completely.
What causes Oxidation damage?
A few of the factors that cause oxidation damage in the body…
1. When our cells use glucose to make energy.
2. When the immune system is fighting off bacteria and inflammation.
3. When our bodies detoxify stress, pollutants, pesticides, and cigarette smoke.
Oxidation and free radical production is a natural and an unavoidable process. It will continue to happen till the day we are breathing.
Under normal circumstances the body self heals; releases antioxidants to manage the ill effects of oxidation damage. The real problem starts when the body and the mind are stressed beyond their coping levels and when the free radical levels exceed the levels of body antioxidants.
Antioxidants properties in coffee can help fight off harmful effects of oxidative stress and DNA damage
A 5-days study conducted by researchers at the University of Vienna, the University of Belgrade and Nestlé, and concluded a decrease of 12.3% measurement in oxidation stress in people who consumed coffee.
Another research done at the Purdue University USA suggested coffee to be one of the best natural source of anti oxidants. Some of the benefits of drinking coffee…
1/10. Weight Loss
Coffee is considered to be a key ingredient for ones weight loss regime. Coffee, not only energises, but its active components sufficiently provides oxygen supply to the cells, thus cutting obesity rate. Coffee tends to stabilise free radical in the body, providing a toxin free environment and killing the fats stored inside the body.
Suggested intake: 2-3 cups daily and strictly without milk and sugar.
2/10. Hypertension
Hypertension is the most common name in today’s vocabulary and is responsible for many of the 21st century diseases.
Interestingly, coffee contains a very large amount of hydrocinnamic acid, which is a very powerful antioxidant. This component seems to activate all the cells inside the body, calms the body system and thus disarms free radicals effectively.
Suggested intake: A cup of black coffee everyday has long-term benefits.
3/10. Heart Disease
Various researches have been conducted in different parts of the world to establish the connection of coffee with reduced heart failures.
Coffee’s anti oxidative nature somehow eases the flow of oxygen rich blood circulation into the heart and the arteries thereby keeping the circulatory system healthy. Polyphenols and hydrocinnamic acid are the main components here.
Suggested intake: 2-3 cups of black coffee a day.
4/10. Reducing Strokes
Coffee tends to reduce the endothelial dysfunction, which is a major risk factor for initiating a stroke. Thus it helps in maintaining a proper circulation of blood flow through the arteries, preventing strokes.
Suggested intake: A study done on hemorrhagic stroke revealed 36% reduced risk in case of people consuming coffee daily.
5/10. Type II Diabetes
The polyphenols again become the active component to reduce the blood sugar level. Studies conducted showed a drastic decline in blood sugar levels of patients suffering from long-term diabetes.
Polyphenols, being a very strong antioxidant also promotes the proper functioning of pancreas, thereby releasing the required insulin hormone in the blood stream. Also, a cut in the extra calorie intake alongside, seem to reduce the chance of getting diabetes.
Suggested intake: 2-3 cups of black coffee a day.
6/10. Cancer Risk
It has been already established before that cancer cells cannot survive in a healthy oxygen environment. Thus, it makes coffee one of the most potential drinks to block the initiation of cancer cells inside the body. Also, it has been seen to be extremely effective in people suffering from cancer. Studies have shown magnificent effects on breast cancer.
Polyphenols, p-coumaric acid and flavonoids provides the required environment for oxygen production in the cell.
Suggested intake: 2-3 cups of black coffee every day.
7/10. Liver Protection
The anti-oxidative nature for a better liver function and consumption of coffee is correlated; although studies are going on to have a detail idea about this concept. Several examinations found that the antioxidant compounds like caffeine and family of Vitamin B, found in coffee prevent the liver from the chance of developing cirrhosis, hepatitis, and fatty liver disease.
In one study it was even found that the risk of getting cirrhosis has been reduced up to 80% after its regular consumption.
Suggested intake: 2 cups of black coffee consumption on a daily basis.
8/10. Controls Aging
Antioxidants are a very important compound to stop the ageing process and coffee does this very effectively. With a series of components that has the antioxidant properties like caffeine, vitamins, like riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and niacin, as well as potassium, manganese, and magnesium, coffee controls the ageing process very smoothly.
Suggested intake: 1-2 cup of black coffee a day.
9/10. Stress Reliever and Mood Enhancer
Coffee and mood enhancement goes hand in hand. Thanks to its compounds like caffeic acid, caffeine and the chlorogenic acids that tend to uplift the mood in just one go. With a proper supply of oxygen throughout the body and improving the blood flow, coffee effectively de-stresses the body.
Suggested intake: A single cup of 8 ounces of black coffee is enough for an instant relief.
10/10. Parkinson’s Disease
A revolutionary effects of coffee has been seen on the patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Coffee, with its rich supply of oxygen to the cells seems to alert the Central Nervous System very effectively. Parkinson’s being one of the diseases due to the malfunctioning of the CNS, coffee helps in preventing some of the symptoms associated with it.
Suggested intake: 2-4 cups of black coffee per day.
Coffee is loaded with super concentrated amount of antioxidants and each different species of coffee beans contains different chemical composition. But whatever be the total amount, you are surely going to get large supply of antioxidants like caffeine, caffeic acid, gamma-tocopherol, the chlorogenic acids, scopoletin, eugenol, isoeugenol, tannic acid and p-coumaric acid in every different species.
To get the best, it is very important to brew the coffee properly. Though the different caffeine composition will yield different results, but even the average one will also do the magical works inside the body.
A coffee drinkers note: I have observed people suffering from the adverse effect of coffee called ‘coffee rage’. Coffee, for some, is not a good option inspite of its tremendous health benefits. Decaffeinated Coffee can be an option for people suffering from side effects of coffee. Read on the next article Decaf Coffee- The Health Benefits to know more about decaf coffee.