Coffee has been a staple commodity for quite some time now. For professionals, workers, thinkers, enthusiasts and adults in general; coffee has been their source of short-term energy boost which is beneficial. But didn’t you know, coffee can do more than that?

Coffee’s Effects on the Brain

The most popular benefit that we know when it comes to drinking coffee; is that it gives us a boost or a sprout of innate energy which allows us to get through insurmountable amounts of tasks. That’s because of its main ingredient ‘caffeine’.

Caffeine increases the adrenaline levels in your blood, which is good for people who are getting ready to do something big. Adrenaline is a hormone that stimulates our body’s ‘fight or flight’ response, preparing our body for extreme physical exertion.

Also, caffeine makes you focused and alert. That's why it has been the best friend of med students and graveyard shift workers all over the world.

Lastly, Caffeine brightens our mood. If you feel a bit out of yourself lately, why not take a sip of your favorite coffee. Caffeine increases the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline in the brain; which is responsible for elevation of our mood.

Didn’t you know that coffee can help us lose weight? Coffee without any additives like sugar and cream is almost a ‘zero-calorie’ drink.

Coffee also contains magnesium and potassium which helps our body use insulin. Because if there is more insulin in our body, it lowers the blood sugar level, thus making us crave for something sweet like chocolates and cakes.

Caffeine can also help our body break down fat, and use it as fuel for training.

Studies show that drinking coffee decreases the risk of developing heart diseases by 20%. Another study says that coffee may decrease the risk of men having prostate cancer by 20% and women having endometrial cancer by 25%

Maybe this is because coffee contains the antioxidant called polyphenol, or plant antioxidant. These have been shown to help in the prevention of heart diseases, and certain cancers.

As tackled earlier, coffee increases the use of insulin, regulating blood sugar levels which may lower the risk of Type II Diabetes.

Lastly, coffee enhances brain activity and elevates the mood, resulting to prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease and Depression.

So we have learned the health benefits that we can get from coffee, now we just have to make sure that we are drinking the appropriate amount. Because no matter how healthy something is; if you take more than what is prescribed, then it’s always going to be bad.

According to the books, the recommended amount of coffee intake should never be above 400 mg a day. That’s just four and three-fourth 8-ounce cups of brewed coffee a day. But just to be safe, one is enough for me. Coffee if taken moderately is indeed a miracle drink.