Coff ee has been both praised and mocked for centuries.

It has been blamed to cause impotence and madness,

other times a cure for laziness or gift from heaven. Heavy stuff . But what are the actual, scientifi cally proven
pros and cons of coff ee we know today?
Caff eine, the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world, is the best known ingredient of coff ee.
Its benefi cial eff ects on the human body has been researched quite well, but coff ee as a whole is a complex
beverage with a thousand diff erent substances. Some studies argue that decaf and caff einated coff ee may have
the same health eff ects and suggest that its not the caff eine that is responsible for most of coff ee's health
benefi ts.
Research on coff ee and it's pros and cons for humans is nowhere near fi nished, but here is a list of what we know
at the moment:

12 Health Benefi ts of Coffee

Coff ee boosts your physical performance. Have a cup of black coff ee about an hour before workout
and your performance can improve by 11-12%. Caff eine increases adrenaline levels in your blood.
Adrenaline is your bodys fi ght or fl ight hormone which helps you to prepare for physical exertion.

Coff ee may help you lose weight. Coff ee contains magnesium and potassium, which helps the
human body use insulin, regulating blood sugar levels and reducing your craving for sugary treats and
snacks.

Coff ee helps you burn fat. Caff eine helps fat cells break down body fat and use it as fuel for training.

Coff ee helps you focus and stay alert. Moderate caff eine intake, 1-6 cups a day, helps you focus
and improves your mental alertness.

Coff ee lowers risk of death. Studies have shown that coff ee drinkers overall risk of premature death
is 25% lower than of those who dont drink coff ee.

Coff ee reduces risk of cancers. One study has shown that coff ee may decrease the risk of
developing prostate cancer in men by 20 %, and endometrial cancer in women by 25 %. People in the
test group drank four cups of coff ee a day. Caff eine may also prevent developing of basal cell
carcinoma , the most common type of skin cancer

Coff ee reduces risk of stroke. Reasonable consumption of coff ee (24 cups a day) is associated with
lower risk of stroke.

Coff ee reduces risk of Parkinsons disease. Studies have shown that regular coff ee drinking
decreases risk of Parkinsons disease by 25 %. Theres evidence that coff ee causes activity in the part
of the brain aff ected by Parkinsons.

Coff ee protects your body. Coff ee contains a lot of antioxidants, that work as little warriors fi ghting
and protecting against free radicals within your body.

Coff ee may lower risk of Type II diabetes. Caff eine decreases your insulin sensitivity and impairs
glucose tolerance, therefore reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Coff ee protects your brain . High caff eine levels in your blood reduce the risk of Alzheimer disease. It
also lowers risk of dementia .

Coff ee brightens your mood, helps fi ght depression and lowers risk of suicide. Caff eine
stimulates the central nervous system and boosts production of neurotransmitters like serotonin,
dopamine, and noradrenaline, which elevate your mood. Two cups of coff ee a day prevents risk of
suicide by 50 %.

6 Disadvantages and Risks of Coffee Drinking

Bad coff ee can be toxic. Bad quality coff ee can have a lot of impurities in it, which can cause
sickness, headache or a general bad feeling. This can happen if your coff ee is made from beans that
have been over ripped or otherwise ruined. Even one ruined bean can make your cup toxic. If you
invest and buy high quality, speciality coff ee you dont have to worry about this. This article will help
you tell the diff erence between the two.

Coff ee can kill you. Yes, if you drink 80-100 cups (23 litres) in a short session. This dose is lethal and
will amount in 10-13 grams of caff eine within your body. Before you reach this point, however, you'll be
vomiting most of it out since 23 litres of any liquid is a lot. Even drinking 23 litres of water can kill you.

Coff ee can cause insomnia and restlessness. Again, it's the caff eine working here. Your
recommended maximum amount of caff eine is 400 milligrams, roughly the amount that youll get from
4 cups of coff ee. If youre caff eine-sensitive, be careful with coff ee. You are probably already aware
what amount and what kind of coff ee suits, or doesn't suit you. The amount of caff eine that is safe for
human consumption is actually written in our DNA .

Dont drink more than one cup a day if youre pregnant. Studies on coff ee's eff ect on a fetus
have been controversial, but one thing is sure: if you drink coff ee when pregnant, caff eine will also
reach the fetus, and your baby is highly sensitive to caff eine. So, if youre a heavyweight coff ee drinker
and cant stop drinking it while pregnant, at least reduce your coff ee intake to one cup a day.

If you have high cholesterol please choose fi ltered coff ee. Coff ee beans contain cafestol and
kahweol, two ingredients that appear to raise LDL cholesterol levels. Filtering the coff ee traps most of
the LDL, but cafestol and kahweol are found in espresso, turkish coff ee, french press and scandinavian
style cooked coff ee.
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The intake of LDL from a cup of espresso is still so small, that for people with normal
cholesterol levels, won't be at risk. There are also some studies at preliminary stages of
diagnosis that have found marks that cafestol and kahweol may have some benefi cial anticancer eff ects, and be good for your liver.

Coff ee for kids, may increase bedwetting. One survey reported that caff eine consumption of 5-7
year old kids may increase enuresis a.k.a. bedwetting.

So, is it good or bad for you?

If you have high cholesterol or you are caff eine sensitive, pregnant or a child (or a parent of one), you should
pay attention to coff ee drinking.

For others, reasonable amounts ( 1-6 cups a day ) coff ee can be good for you. It can prevent serious diseases,
boost your mind and muscles, and even help you with weight loss. Remember, as long as you drink toxin
free, speciality coff ee and brew it with care , you can and should be enjoying it knowing it's good for you.

There is a lot of research on both humans and animals on the effects of caffeine, and there is often thoughts that too much is bad
for us. There is no conclusive evidence to implicate caffeine consumption as being significantly harmful to health, but there still is
controversy with this, as there is still some negative effects associated with caffeine consumption. Having some caffeine daily is
ok, but using food and exercise strategies listed below, will certainly help in reducing fatigue and avoiding caffeine addiction.
Caffeine is becoming more popular as well as easier to access with drive-through coffee shops and the proliferation of energy
drinks. People often rely on caffeine to combat fatigue. The biggest problem with coffee consumption is that tolerance increases
and then people become more reliant on it and require greater dosages to get the same effects it becomes a negative spiral and
an addictive habit.