We all love waking up to our morning cup of Joe. Many of us even drink coffee throughout the day.  Over the years, there have been conflicting reports on the health benefits of coffee, but most current studies now say that coffee does have many health benefits.

According to experts, 83 percent of adults drink coffee in the U.S. Some drink it for the taste while others for the energy boost. So, we finally found something we like to do that is actually pretty good for us!  Here are the top five health benefits of coffee.

 

  • 1

    Can Help Burn Fat

    Coffee contains caffeine, which is one of the very few natural substances that have actually been proven to aid fat burning.  Studies have shown that caffeine can also boost the metabolic rate by 3-11 percent.

  • 2

    Can Improve Physical Performance

    Caffeine can help stimulates the nervous system, causing it to send signals to the fat cells to break down body fat But caffeine can also increases Epinephrine (Adrenaline) levels in the blood which helps our bodies ready for intense physical activity.

  • 3

    May Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

    Type 2 diabetes is a health problem that is currently afflicting about 300 million people worldwide.  However, coffee drinkers have a significantly reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.  Studies have shown that people who drink the most coffee have a 23-50% lower risk of getting this disease, one study showing a reduction as high as 67%.

  • 4

    Could Protect You From Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia

    Alzheimer's is the leading cause of dementia worldwide. The disease usually affects people over the age of 65. With many strides made by medical professionals there is still no known cure for Alzheimer's.  However, there are things we can do to prevent the disease from showing up in the first place.  Drinking coffee may be an incredibly effective approach.  Several studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of getting Alzheimer's disease.

  • 5

    May Lower The Risk of Parkinson's

    Parkinson's is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, right after Alzheimer's.  It is caused by death of dopamine-generating neurons in the brain. Similar to Alzheimer's, there is no known cure.  Studies have shown that, coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease, with a reduction in risk ranging from 32-60%.  The important fact is that it appears to be the caffeine itself that is causing the effect.  So those  who drink decaf don't have a lower risk of Parkinson's.   

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