Tuesday, March 8, 2011

5 Healthy Reasons not to QUIT Coffee

1. It protects your heart:Coffee has more antioxidants per serving than blueberries, making it
the biggest source of antioxidants.
2. It diverts diabetes:Those antioxidants (chlorogenic acid and quinides, specifically) play
another role: boosting your cells’ sensitivity to insulin, which helps
regulate blood sugar.
3. Your liver loves it:OK, so the research here is limited, but it looks like the more coffee people
drink, the lower their incidence of cirrhosis and other liver diseases. Again,
it’s those antioxidants—chlorogenic and caffeic acids—and caffeine that
might prevent liver inflammation and inhibit cancer cells.
4. It boosts your brain power: Drinking between 1 and 5 cups a day (admittedly a big
range) may help reduce risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s
disease, as well as Parkinson’s disease, studies suggest. Those
antioxidants may ward off brain cell damage and help the
neurotransmitters involved in cognitive function to work
better.
5. It helps your headaches:Exactly how caffeine relieves headaches isn’t clear. But scientists
do know that caffeine boosts the activity of brain cells, causing
surrounding blood vessels to constrict. One theory is that this
constriction helps to relieve the pressure that causes the pain.

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