There are only two things that can get me going in the morning: a steaming, hot latte or a steamy sweat session. I love to work out and treat my body well, but I also have a very serious relationship with coffee (Spoonās comprehensive āGuide to CoffeeāĀ is more ofĀ a love letter than an informational guide for me). While my addiction may have prevented me from pursuing these questions in the past, I am brave enough to ask now: Where does this drink fall on the health scale? Should I kick it to the curb if Iām looking to treat my body well? Lucky for me (and the majority of the world), it turns out coffee is loaded with benefits.
Benefits
- Coffee can protect your body from a host of diseases, such as Parkinsonās, liver cancer and type 2 diabetes.
- It has a ton of antioxidants (take that, cranberries).
- People who drink up to six cups a day show no signs of increased risk of death by cardiovascular disease or cancer, as previously believed (thanks for the reassurance,Ā Harvard!).
- Coffee keeps your brain alert and healthy ā evidence reveals that consumption wards off Alzheimerās and dementia later on in life, and according to theĀ Huffington Post, it can even mitigate stress.
- It builds strength: Some studies report that the trace of caffeine in coffee has a similar effect to that of exercise on the ability to repair muscles.
![Is Coffee Good for You? 3 is coffee good for you](https://spoonuniversity.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/10/Coffee-1.jpg)
Photo by Hannah Lin
Risks
- The most popular drinks, like lattes and mochas, can contain many unwanted calories in the use of heavy sweeteners, syrups, whole milk and whipped cream.
- High consumption of unfiltered coffee has been linked to high cholesterol.
- Heavy caffeine use (which theĀ Mayo ClinicĀ cites as ā4 to 7 cups a dayā) can lead to restlessness, irritability, anxiety and loss of sleep.
- Caffeine may cause spikes in blood sugar.
![Is Coffee Good for You? 4 is coffee good for you](https://spoonuniversity.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/10/url.jpeg)
Photo courtesy of www.ronmartin.net
Ultimately, coffee is noted to be a safe choice, even for the nuttiest of health nuts. However, as with pretty much everything else, moderation is key (so none of that ā12 cups a day during finals weekā BS). Health-conscious students shouldnāt feel any guilt about a cup (or two) per day. I know I wonāt ā just ask Lisa, my favorite Starbucks barista.