My partner is a coffee addict- at least that is what he says. I do enjoy the smell and occasional taste of it, but it sends my anxiety over the roof, so I tend to stick to decaf if needed. I do, however, like to have a few sips from his mug which he kindly shares a few days a week. He bought a fancy coffee machine for Christmas that grinds the beans whilst preparing the drink, so I like to be part of him exploring various beans and deciding on the best one.

Coffee is always on the trend. Everywhere you look, there is something that reminds us of it- ads, people walking with a cup of coffee in their hands whilst chatting, coffee loyalty cards, coffee spa treatments, your favourite Netflix show characters craving for their morning coffee kick in every episode, flavoured cakes etc. I have always thought coffee is bad for you as it has never made me feel good, however, it does seem to work just fine with the majority of people, so I learned that it even has a few benefits. However, just before we do, bear in mind- if your body seems to not manage coffee well, gets you shaky, upsets your stomach, aggravates any health conditions, it might be worth re-thinking your caffeine choices.

Coffee and liver. The liver is an important detox organ in your body, so it is important to make sure you are not overwhelming it on a daily life basis. However, with nowadays lifestyles, it does often struggle (vegetable, seed oils, pesticides, stress, sugar, medicine, sedentary lifestyles etc) so coffee seems to be one of the drinks that has a positive effect on the liver. British Liver Trust report (2016) took the current research, reviewed it and put it in a single report. What the results said is that regularly drinking moderate amounts of coffee may prevent liver cancer, reduces the risk for liver cirrhosis and fibrosis, can slow the progression of liver disease in some patients. Later in 2017, with further research, it was confirmed again. It does not seem to benefit other cancers.

 

Diabetes and coffee. In 2005 nine studies were reviewed on coffee and type 2 diabetes. 193,000+ people who said they drank more than six or seven cups daily were 35% less likely to have type 2 diabetes than people who drank fewer than two cups daily. 28% lower risk went for people who drank 4-6 cups a day. There is also evidence now that states decaff has a similar effect. When a larger study group has been reviewed, it seems that for every cup of coffee per day, the risk drops 7%. So overall, seems like a positive outcome. There are a few ingredients that seem to bring out coffee’s positive effects including antioxidants, minerals like magnesium and chromium, which all help insulin usage, which then controls sugar levels in the blood.

 

Dementia and coffee. Very strong research has been done on this and it appears that high consumption of coffee reduces the risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Research done by scientists in Finland and Sweden found that 1400 people who drank 3-5 coffees a day over 20 year period of time were 65% less likely to get both of these diseases when compared to non-coffee drinkers or occasional drinkers.

 

Of course, there is also the basic benefits that we all know of like increased alertness, concentration levels, energy boost, overall positivity and satisfaction and of course the strength and stamina increase. However, people with anxiety, acid reflux/indigestion, bowel-related conditions tend to find coffee overwhelming as it aggravates the fight or flight (stressed body state), shakes, heart racing, as well as the acidity of the coffee triggers the acid reflux and stomach upsets. If you do struggle with constipation, however, coffee tends to help with bowel movements.