by Pamela Gentry

Created on: February 17, 2009   Last Updated: February 20, 2009

MORE REASONS TO LOVE COFFEE

There is no morning ritual that Americans love more, than their morning cup of coffee. We know what brand we like, and exactly how we like it prepared. We spend more money than we would like to admit in coffee shops, indulging in the flavor and aroma of the experience.

What do we already know about coffee? We know that it has moderate amounts of caffeine, and we are often advised in discussing health issues, that it is something best avoided completely.

However, recent studies suggest that we should rethink this common advice. The benefits of drinking coffee are being revealed.

Here are some of the recent discoveries about drinking coffee.

COFFEE BOOSTS ATHLETICISM

Longtime coffee researcher Terry Graham, PhD of the University of Guelph in Canada states: "Caffeine (found in coffee) may even have a direct effect on muscles themselves, causing them to produce a stronger contraction.

But what is amazing is that unlike some performance-enhancing manipulations, studies show that caffeine positively enhances all of these things."

COFFEE REDUCES RISK OF DIABETES AND PARKINSON'S DISEASE

Harvard researchers have found that drinking 1-3 cups of caffeinated coffee daily can reduce the risk of diabetes in the single digits.

Some drugs that are used to treat Parkinson's disease are having caffeine added to them to increase their effectiveness.

COFFEE HELPS ALLEVIATE HEADACHES

Specifically, the caffeine in coffee does. Medicines such as Excedrin contain about the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee.

COFFEE LOWERS RISK OF DEMENTIA

In recent test studies conducted in Sweden, it was found that test subjects who drank more than five cups of coffee per day were 65% less likely to develop dementia.

In addition, animal studies were also conducted, showing that caffeine reduces the formation of "amyloid plaques" in the brain, which are one of the main components of Alzheimer's disease.

Studies have also shown that coffee may manage asthma attacks when medication is unavailable.

Need another reason to drink coffee? At least 2 cups of coffee drank daily translates into an 80% drop in risk of cirrhosis of the liver, and a 25% reduced risk of colon cancer.

Lastly, coffee has been proven to be a mood-lifter. But we already knew that, didn't we. Let's savor that cup of morning coffee and drink to our health.

Learn more about this author, Pamela Gentry.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.