1 . Reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and Dementia
Several studies comparing moderate coffee drinkers (defined
as 3–5 cups per day) with light coffee drinkers (defined as 0–2 cups per day)
found that those who drank more coffee were significantly less likely to
develop Alzheimer's disease later in life. A longitudinal study in 2009 found
that moderate coffee drinkers had reduced risk of developing dementia in
addition to Alzheimer's disease.
2. Reduced risk of gallstone disease
Drinking caffeinated coffee has been correlated with a lower
incidence of gallstones and gallbladder disease in both men and women in two
studies performed by the Harvard School of Public Health. A lessened risk was
not seen in those who drank decaffeinated coffee. A recent study showed that
roast coffee protected primary neuronal cells against hydrogen peroxide-induced
cell death.
3. Reduced risk of Parkinson's disease
A study comparing heavy coffee drinkers (3.5 cups a day)
with non-drinkers found that the coffee drinkers were significantly less likely
to develop Parkinson's disease later in life.
Likewise, a second study found an inverse relationship between the amount of
coffee regularly drunk and the likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease.
4. Cognitive performance
Likewise, in tests of simple reaction time, choice reaction
time, incidental verbal memory, and visuospatial reasoning, participants who
regularly drank coffee were found to perform better on all tests, with a
positive relationship between test scores and the amount of coffee regularly
drunk.
5 Analgesic enhancement
Coffee contains caffeine, which increases the effectiveness
of pain killers, especially migraine and headache medications. For this reason,
many over-the-counter headache drugs include caffeine in their formula.
6 Antidiabetic
Coffee intake may reduce one's risk of diabetes
mellitus type 2 by up to half. While this was originally noticed in
patients who consumed high amounts (7 cups a day), the relationship was later
shown to be linear.
7. Liver protection
Coffee can also reduce the incidence of cirrhosis of the liver
and has been linked to a reduced risk of hepatocellular carcinoma, a primary
liver cancer that usually arises in patients with preexisting cirrhosis. The exact mechanism and the amount of coffee needed to
achieve a beneficial effect have long been unclear. The cytokine transforming
growth factor (TGF) beta has long been recognized for promoting fibrosis
ability acting through the Smad family of transcription factors. In an
interesting report recently published in the Journal of Hepatology, Gressner
and colleagues provide the first mechanistic context for the epidemiological
studies on coffee drinkers by showing that caffeine may have potent
anti-fibrotic capabilities through its ability to antagonize the Smad pathway.
8. Cancer
Coffee consumption is also correlated to a reduced risk of oral,
esophageal, and pharyngeal cancer. In ovarian cancer, no benefit was found. In
the Nurses' Health Study, a modest reduction in breast cancer was observed in
postmenopausal women only, which was not confirmed in decaffeinated coffee. According to one study, coffee protects the liver from
cancer. Another preliminary study found a correlation between coffee
consumption and a lower risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
9. Cardioprotective
Coffee moderately reduces the incidence of dying from cardiovascular
disease, according to a large prospective cohort study published in 2008. A
2009 prospective study in Japan following nearly 77,000 individuals aged 40 to
79 found that coffee consumption, along with caffeine intake, was associated
with a reduced risk of dying from cardiovascular disease.[
10. Laxative/diuretic
Coffee is also a powerful stimulant for peristalsis and is
sometimes considered to prevent constipation. However, coffee can also cause
excessively loose bowel movements. The simulative effect of coffee consumption
on the colon is found in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee
11. Antioxidant
Coffee contains the anticancer compound methylpyridinium.
This compound is not present in significant amounts in other foods.
Methylpyridinium is not present in raw coffee beans but is formed during the
roasting process from trigonelline, which is common in raw coffee beans. It is
present in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, and even in instant
coffee.
12. Prevention of dental caries
The tannins in coffee may reduce the cryogenic potential of
foods. In vitro experiments have shown that these polyphenolic compounds may
interfere with glucosyltransferase activity of mutans streptococci, which may
reduce plaque formation