12 Coffee Health Benefits and Why You Don’t Necessarily Have to Quit Caffeine

Coffee is delicious however it is roasted, and the good news is that it’s not just a jolt of energy.

Coffee has actual health benefits that promote good health, longevity, and more. These are the top research-backed benefits.

Of course it’s important to note that just because coffee is healthy doesn’t mean that it’s a good idea to drink it loaded with milk, sugar, and other ingredients.

These health benefits pertain to actual plain black coffee.

Diluting it with milk, sugar, and other ingredients reduces the amount of coffee you’re taking in and replaces it with ingredients that could be inflammatory, allergenic, and contributive to weight gain and health problems.

If you don’t drink your coffee black, consider the health benefits of trying it this way or consider looking for healthy alternatives, like low-carb creamers and sugar alternatives, like stevia.

Every cell in the human body contains DNA, the code that essentially makes us who we are.

Because cells have to constantly replicate over and over, there are numerous chances each day for there to be errors in the process.

The older we get, or the more inflammatory or chronic issues we have, the more chances there are for our DNA to “break” or to replicate with small errors.

Over time, this can result in health problems or degenerative disorders.

Coffee has been shown to protect the integrity of DNA and to promote a flawless replication during the copying process.

This happens primarily because coffee is rich in antioxidants which fight inflammatory and oxidative damage that can interrupt the copying integrity.

Coffee goes to work protecting DNA almost immediately, with positive benefits seen in as little as two hours after consumption. (1, 2)

In order to get the most benefits, however, you need to drink it on a daily basis and the darker the roast, the better. (3)

Perhaps one of the top reasons why people consume it, coffee helps to boost energy levels and reduces feelings of fatigue.

While it won’t replace a good night’s sleep, it can legitimately increase your energy and ability to function at higher levels. (4) This is, of course, due to the presence of caffeine.

Caffeine gives you a boost of energy because it blocks adenosine in the brain.

Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that is an antagonist to dopamine and norepinephrine. When adenosine is higher, you might feel tired, sluggish, and even more unhappy.

Coffee doesn’t just make you feel more awake. It also helps to optimize several aspects of brain function including how quickly you can react and think on your feet.

It also boosts mental function and cognition, memory ability, and even focus. (5)

There are many neurological conditions that impact the brain and total body health including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and dementia.

For these conditions there are no cures available and they can dramatically alter the quality of one’s life.

While genetics can play a role in all three, research shows that regular coffee drinkers have a reduced chance of developing them.

People who drink coffee on a daily basis have a 65 percent lower chance of being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, which is the leading cause of dementia and age-related brain disorders. (6)

Parkinson’s is the second-most common neurodegenerative disorder.

It affects the ability to control muscles and can result in uncontrollable tremors, as well as other complications.

Coffee drinkers have as much as a 60 percent reduced chance of developing Parkinson’s disease. (7)

However the protective benefits are only seen with caffeine coffee, not decaf.

The liver is the body’s largest internal organ that is responsible for more than a hundred essential functions.

Because the liver handles toxins and can be damaged from things like alcohol, prescription drugs, and other chemical exposures, it can be prone to damage and disease.

Coffee protects against certain types of liver damage or disease, including cirrhosis. This is especially true for anyone who drinks at least three or four cups per day. (8)

Depression is a disorder that can be caused by numerous factors.

While it seems to only involve the brain, it can be tied to many other areas of health including the gut, the thyroid, other hormones, and more. 

Mental health is just another aspect of physical health.

Research shows that depression has roots in inflammation in many cases. Coffee is rich in antioxidants which can combat the negative and damaging effects of inflammation problems.

More than four percent of the general population in the United States are dealing with clinical depression, but research shows that people who drink three to four cups of coffee per day have a more than 20 percent reduced chance of becoming depressed or having a recurrence of depression. (9)

Caffeine is sometimes taken in pill form as a fat-burner. This method causes the body to be exposed to excessive doses and caffeine in and of itself can pose health risks.

Caffeine in coffee, however, when paired with the antioxidants and other benefits, is less harmful for those who are not sensitive to it.

Caffeine in coffee can boost your metabolic function by as much as 11 percent, helping to encourage your body to burn more fat for energy. (10)

Type 2 diabetes is one of the most epidemic health problems across the world.

It can increase the risk of other health problems, like heart disease and cancer, and causes a number of problems on its own.

Regular coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing this type of diabetes, by as much as 67 percent. (11)

Every cup of coffee consumed each day represented a more greatly reduced risk, up to about three or four cups.

While cancer is a terrifying word, it is not in and of itself a disease, but rather a breakdown of healthy cell function.

Cells replicate in certain controlled and organized manners.

When cells have changes to them that remove checks and balances or that allow certain problematic cells to grow without being destroyed, cancer can occur.

Coffee does not protect against all types of cancer, but research shows it can defend against certain types, including:

• Liver cancer, reducing the risk by 40 percent (12)
• Colorectal cancer, reducing the risk by 15 percent (13)
• Uterine cancer

Coffee also protects heart health because of the antioxidants. They can protect the cells of the heart from being damaged by oxidative stress.

Coffee also increases blood flow, which can boost circulation and promote cardiovascular wellness. (14)

Coffee can increase the overall chance of living longer, partly because of all the health benefits already mentioned.

By reducing the chances of many chronic and degenerative diseases, coffee could help you live longer. Antioxidants are another reason why they could increase your lifespan—reducing oxidative damage makes cells live longer.

People who drink three to four cups of coffee per day have been shown to have as much as a 15 percent reduced chance of death, with those drinking four cups having a greater benefit. (15)

Over the course of a few decades, coffee drinkers can also experience a general reduced chance of mortality. Men experienced a 20 percent reduction and women a 26 percent reduction. (16)

Even people who already have chronic disorders like type 2 diabetes can experience a reduced mortality rate because of coffee.

One study showed that those who drank coffee and had diabetes experienced a reduced chance of death—by 30 percent! This study spanned 20 years. (17)

While people who claim that coffee is bad for you will say that it increases blood pressure, this effect only seems to be noted in people who irregularly consume it.

Regular coffee drinkers don’t have sustained blood pressure changes. (18)

Beyond that, coffee has been shown to reduce the risk for having a stroke since it increases circulation and promotes overall healthy blood flow.

The risk for stroke in regular coffee drinkers can be reduced by as much as 20 percent. (19)

While there are clearly many benefits of coffee, it is not good for everyone. Some people experience bad reaction when drinking it, either because of the coffee bean itself or because of caffeine.

It has also been deemed problematic for certain health conditions, such as:

• Anxiety
• Bladder cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Esophageal cancer
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Abnormal heart rhythms
• Sleep problems or insomnia

The bottom line is that coffee might be great for you, or it might not be.

It has some demonstrated health benefits that prove coffee in and of itself is not bad, nor do you have to limit to just one cup per day to keep it healthy.

Keep in mind, however, that you could be sensitive to caffeine, not coffee itself.

If this is the case, trying decaf would still give you most of the protective benefits, but be sure to choose an organic, water-processed decaf to ensure that it’s as healthy as possible.

This article was fact checked for accuracy by Aimee McNew, MNT, a certified nutritionist. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.