Coffee may be one of the world’s most popular drinks, but it has long been criticised for its harmful effects on sleep, stress and the digestive system. That said, coffee can also be good for health, provided you don’t exceed a certain daily dose.
No less than 255kg of coffee is consumed every second worldwide, or almost 10 million tonnes a year, according to data published by Planetoscope. While the image of this daily drink has long suffered due to its impact on health, often linked to excessive consumption, recent studies are helping to shine fresh light on the subject.
Here are three benefits that might help fans of the drink feel less guilty when sipping their cup of Joe.
A protective effect on the heart?
The negative effects of coffee on heart rate and blood pressure have long been established, but does this mean it is necessarily bad for the heart? Such is the question addressed by two studies presented last year at the 71st annual scientific session of the American College of Cardiology.
The research involved 382,535 people with no known heart disease and 34,279 people with some form of cardiovascular disease. Findings showed that moderate coffee consumption – two to three cups a day – was associated with a lower risk of heart disease and a longer lifespan.
The researchers also point out that coffee is not linked to the onset or worsening of heart disease – and could even have a protective effect on the heart. These conclusions support earlier work on the subject.
“Because coffee can quicken heart rate, some people worry that drinking it could trigger or worsen certain heart issues. This is where general medical advice to stop drinking coffee may come from.
“But our data suggest that daily coffee intake shouldn’t be discouraged, but rather included as a part of a healthy diet for people with and without heart disease,” senior author Peter M Kistler wrote.
“We found coffee drinking had either a neutral effect – meaning that it did no harm – or was associated with benefits to heart health,” he added.
The scientists make it clear, however, that the aim is not to encourage people to increase their coffee consumption, but to reassure the beverage’s devotees.
A weight-loss boost
Scientists from the Department of Physiology at the University of Granada in Spain investigated the effects of caffeine on fat oxidation – or fat burning – during physical exertion.
Their research was based on studying 15 men with an average age of 32, who took part in an exercise test on four occasions at seven-day intervals. Some ingested the equivalent of a strong coffee, others a placebo, at 8am and 5pm.
Published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, their research suggests that drinking strong coffee 30 minutes before exercising increases fat burning, potentially making it easier to lose weight.
“The results of our study showed that acute caffeine ingestion 30 minutes before performing an aerobic exercise test increased maximum fat oxidation during exercise regardless of the time of day,” explained lead author, Francisco José Amaro-Gahete.
The scientists specify that the effects of caffeine are enhanced if this exercise takes place in the afternoon, rather than in the morning.
Take that coffee break
What if drinking coffee also made you more efficient? A recent study claims that it can stimulate brain activity and even improve cognitive performance.
The only downside is that caffeine is not directly responsible for this phenomenon: it’s the coffee break, the act of indulging in an everyday pleasure, that was associated with “peak cognitive performance” – just like listening to music.
Published in the journal “Nature Scientific Reports”, this research found that drinking coffee could help improve people’s performance in certain tasks requiring concentration and memory.
It should be noted that a number of studies have also highlighted caffeine’s harmful effects on health, which should be taken into consideration. Indeed, the beverage remains the focus of much scientific debate.
Beyond the effects of excessive consumption, its impact on children’s health or during pregnancy are regularly the subject of scientific publications.