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antioxidants, Brain health, Coffee benefits, energy, Feeling energized, Green coffee extract, Health, stress
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Good news, coffee lovers! The case for coffee as a health drink has been building. In my book, Discover The Secret Energized You, there is a section (p. 53, “Perk With Coffee”) on the health benefits of coffee. In the several years since the book came out, everything it said about coffee has been further proven, and more medical benefits have come to light. So don’t stress over your love of coffee, just read on while sipping!
Of course, this article is not medical advice. Confer with your doctor before making any dietary changes.
Coffee is one beverage found delicious by people in many cultures for centuries. And now it is known to have many health perks. While many think the only ingredient in coffee is caffeine, coffee actually contains thousands of organic compounds. The lift people get from drinking it may come from the antioxidant compounds, more than from the caffeine. And, it contains only 6 calories per cup, if you don’t add the sugar, the syrups, the milks, or the whipped cream. Or that muffin that looks so good, over there in the glass case. Save yourself hundreds of calories per serving by drinking coffee black. Another reason to drink coffee black is that a compound in dairy products, casein,can block the benefits of the antioxidants. Darn! But this doesn’t apply to nondairy creamers, soy milk, almond milk, or coconut milk.
Speaking of dieting, recent medical research has shown that green coffee beans can help you lose weight surprisingly fast. Bottles of green coffee bean extract are flying off store shelves. But if you want less caffeine and more beneficial compounds from your coffee, use dark roasts, even espresso, and keep the brewing time short.
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN), the antioxidants in coffee may reduce inflammation and thereby reduce the risk of potential disorders related to it. Cardiovascular disease is one of these. Phenols, volatile aroma compounds, and oxazoles in coffee contribute to its high antioxidant content. A typical serving of coffee contains more antioxidants than typical servings of grape juice, blueberries, raspberries, and oranges, according to another study in the AJCN. Antioxidants fight aging. and give you energy right now. Would you like to age more slowly?
Want more good news? Coffee drinking is now associated with lower risk of cancers of the kidney, liver, and prostate. It’s also associated with lower risk of Type 2 diabetes (tends to lower blood glucose), with Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and dementia. Short-term, coffee helps you feel more alert and improves concentration.
Possibly the most interesting research indication currently is that coffee seems to raise the activity of Bifidobacteria in the digestive tract. You may have noticed coffee , um, stimulating elimination. Some people even use coffee for enemas. But lactobacillus Bifidus is a primary digestive bacterium specific to the large intestine. So you could get more efficient digestion and possibly a flatter abdomen from drinking coffee. Or taking green coffee bean extract.
So do you love coffee? Do you feel good, feel alert, and function well with a cup or several per day? Then why not relax in a favorite chair, sip your favorite blend, and let the research roll in?
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● Kebba Buckley Button is a stress management expert and the author of the award-winning book, Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br), plus the 2013 book, Peace Within: Your Peaceful Inner Core, Second Edition (http://tinyurl.com/mqg3uvc). She also has a natural healing practice and is an ordained minister.
● Liked this article? You can buy Kebba’s books: just click the links!
- Discover The Secret Energized You (http://tinyurl.com/b44v3br).
- Peace Within: Your Peaceful Inner Core (Second Edition) (http://tinyurl.com/mqg3uvc)
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Healthy Happy Loving Life! 
Hi Kebba,
You’ve presented some different and interesting information about coffee here. What about its dehydrating effect on the body?
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Flo, yes, if you drink enough, your skin will get dry. I recommend drinking the coffee anyway, in the amounts I mentioned, but drinking filtered water between coffees. I hope this is helpful. And thanks for visiting and commenting.
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I haven’t drunk coffee in about 8 years. I stopped because I was drinking too much and feeling a bit jittery, which I put down to caffeine. Interestingly I have become a tea monster and at this very moment trying to reduce how much I drink by swopping with Rooibush or other herbals.
I never use milk – all my tea and previously my coffee was black.
Some time ago I met someone who talked about how the coffee was processed and that I should look for a certain kind of coffee that was better for me. Naturally not being a coffee drinker I dismissed it.
What do I need to look for if I wanted to be tempted back to coffee?
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Jacquie, look for organic coffee, and you will feel quite different. I know people who swear by Teechino as a coffee substitute, but it doesn’t have the health benefits of coffee, and I get more satisfaction from drinking hot filtered water. The hot filtered water cleanses the system, and you may even smell extra body odor for a while! Thanks for visiting and commenting.
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