The international coffee day is observed on October 1 to promote the importance of coffee in the daily diet of the people.
According to the studies, the popular drink is not only tasty and energy-boosting but also it can provide several health benefits because of its high levels of antioxidants and helpful nutrients.
Around the 15th century, coffee drinking was initially popularized in the Arab world, threading its way across Asia to Italy and then Europe to the Americas and finally spread all over the world.
Several studies indicate that drinking coffee can lower belly fat and helps in losing weight. Coffee contains a caffeine stimulant, which can increase the burning of fat and boost the metabolic rate. It is claimed that this tasty drink speeds up the metabolism and help dieters to lose weight.
Caffeine is the psychoactive drug most widely consumed in the world and is present in almost every commercial fat-burning supplement.
Research shows that drinking a specific amount of coffee can help you receive the benefits. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Review Survey unveiled that the lowest amount of body fat was found in women aged between 20 and 44 who drank two to three cups of coffee per day.
The study, published in “The journal of nutrition”, stated that the body fat of the people was 3.4 percent lower than that of those who did not drink coffee.
Dr Lee Smith, Senior author of the study and Reader in Public Health at Anglia Ruskin University said, “Our research suggests that there may be bioactive compounds in coffee other than caffeine that regulate weight and which could potentially be used as anti-obesity compounds. It could be that coffee, or its effective ingredients could be integrated into a healthy diet strategy to reduce the burden of chronic conditions related to the obesity epidemic”.
“It is important to interpret the findings of this study in light of its limitations — the study was at a specific point in time so trends cannot be established. However, we don’t believe that someone’s weight is likely to influence their coffee consumption,” Dr Smith added.
Other health benefits linked with coffee include:
Improved heart health
Protection from diseases such as type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, liver disease and so on
Reduces the risk of certain types of cancer
Reducing the risk of depression
Improving life expectancy
Improving energy levels and boosting physical fitness
Cellulite reduction and anti-ageing effects
Several antioxidants and nutrients found in coffee are riboflavin (B2), pantothenic acid (B5), niacin (B3), magnesium, manganese and potassium.
Coffee side effects
Coffee can also have some adverse effects, despite its remarkable weight loss and health benefits-mainly due to its high content of caffeine. Some studies have shown that high doses of coffee are associated with an increased risk of bone fractures, anxiety and so on. High coffee consumption (both brewed and unfiltered) can cause a slight increase in cholesterol levels. Researchers also warn that coffee may not be safe during pregnancy period.
