I found myself drinking coffee at the ripe age of fourteen, needing it to get through the early mornings that came with freshman year of high school. By college, my obsession was full blown. I crave the rich taste of a fresh-brewed cup of dark roast coffee now, morning, noon, and night. Seeing me without a cup of coffee in hand has become an unusual sight.
The obsession turned to addiction, and I began to wonder if I should be concerned. A morning without a coffee meant a morning with a splitting headache. An afternoon without coffee meant sleeping through my afternoon classes. So I decided to look into the benefits of drinking coffee, and here's what I found.
Coffee and Heart Health
Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have discovered some major news linking coffee consumption and a healthy pumping heart. Drinking, on average, four cups of joe a day can reduce your risk of heart failure by 11%. Don't believe me? Harvard says so.
A Superfood You Didn't Know About
Good news for any health nuts out there! Coffee is a secret superfood packed with tons of antioxidants. Not only is it great for you, but the human body easily absorbs all the goodness that comes in coffee. So drink up.
Coffee and Your Liver
We all know the damage that alcohol does to your liver. So, if you enjoy the occasional social gathering, bar crawl, or night out on the town, make sure not to forget to keep up your coffee intake the next day. Regular coffee consumption leads to being 20% less likely to develop liver cirrhosis.
Your Best Workout Yet
Drinking coffee prior to a workout will energize you to go the extra mile, AND it will give you better circulation for up to 75 minutes, letting your muscles get the oxygen they need to crush a workout. This article checks out the benefits of drinking coffee before and after a workout.
Coffee and Memory
Researchers from the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, MA have discovered that caffeine consumption can lead to "better memory and better executive functioning." It isn't just a cup of coffee a day; it turns out it's the habitual consumption that aids memory.
So, after spending time debating on whether or not I should kick my coffee addiction, I've made my decision. The positives outweigh the negatives, and I am fully embracing the health benefits that come hand in hand with habitual coffee consumption. To all my fellow coffee addicts, drink up!