Why Coffee Is Good For You…


My work day begins with a coffee. The bitterness combined with the ability to focus. Perfection. Coffee forms the basis of many social outings for people everywhere. It’s hard for me to believe that coffee is bad when it makes me feel so good. Let’s discover why coffee is good for you.

There have been thousands of studies undertaken on coffee. Initial mid-twentieth century studies gave coffee a bad rap. The first studies found a correlation between coffee drinking and poor health of participants. To understand these studies fully we need to know the difference between a correlation and a causal relationship. A correlation is when researchers identify a link between coffee drinking and poor health, it is not proof that coffee is the reason participants have poor health. A study that proves that coffee causes poor health establishes a factual reason for the results and is known as a causal relationship. Both types of research outcomes are valuable as a correlation establishes a need for further study and causal relationships provide more definitive research results. Returning to the initial study; it was revealed that a high number of coffee drinkers smoked, consumed high amounts of alcohol and were sedentary. Further studies that separated out smokers and non-smokers found causal links. The explanation for the coffee drinker’s poor health was smoking. But the dye had been cast and coffee had been labelled as bad. Since those initial studies thousands of studies have been conducted and here is what they say.

Coffee can…

  • Provide some protection against liver disease including liver cancer
  • Improve cognitive function
  • Decrease risk of depression
  • Decrease the risk of suicide
  • Boost physical performance
  • May help in weight loss with the breakdown of fat cells
  • Help focus and stay alert
  • Helps prevent gallstones
  • Reduce the risk of premature death
  • Reduce the risk of prostate cancer
  • Reduce the risk of endometrial cancer
  • Reduce the risk of melanoma skin cancer
  • Reduce the risk of stroke
  • Lower risk against degenerative brain diseases including Parkinsons, Alzeimers, and Multiple Sclerosis.
  • Reduce risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Many of the studies establish a causal relationship between coffee and good health outcomes. Next time you read coffee is bad; query how many people were in the study group, the length of the study, and whether the outcome of the study showed a correlation or a causal relationship.

Coffee is not for everyone and some people report feeling jittery or excitable. Others report caffeine affects their sleep. This is because coffee is a stimulant.  Some stimulants can be addictive and dangerous although caffeine is usually considered a safe stimulant. It is an ingredient in many over the counter drugs that treat drowsiness. It is suggested that caffeine is avoided for four to six hours prior to bedtime if you are experiencing insomnia.

Studies from all over the world have shown that coffee is the single biggest source of antioxidants in the diet. Antioxidants are known to fight oxidative damage that can cause cancer. In June 2016, The World Health Organisation stated that there is an overwhelming amount of research that coffee can promote health and inhibit cancer.

My current coffee spot is Dukes in Flinders Lane Melbourne. Amazing coffee and I love the floor. You will know what I mean when you see it… What is your favourite coffee shop?

My favourite https://www.dukescoffee.com.au



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