Coffee..makes sense to me...

Addiction. Coffee has been my best friend for many years now. It has been my greatest partisan in times when I am battling depression or when I am in a deep thought about something or someone. I take coffee as my greatest supporter when I don't have someone who can help me release my tension and exaggeration. I can take about 3-4 cups of coffee a day (using larger cups/mugs though). I can take any types of coffee, whether its from Starbucks or Coffee Bean or could it be just a regular coffee from the vendo machine in the office or from a pack of coffee I always bought from a store nearby. Though, I love sipping latte most of the time.



Sometimes I wonder, "does drinking coffee really benefits me?". I do some research about coffee and found some facts about coffee. But lets define first what is the meaning of coffee.

"Coffee is a brewed drink prepared from roasted seeds, commonly called coffee beans, of the coffee plant. They are seeds of coffee cherries that grow on trees in over 70 countries. Green unroasted coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. Due to its caffeine content, coffee can have a stimulating effect in humans. Today, coffee is one of the most popular beverages worldwide."

Benefits of Coffee. While searching for some answers on what would be the health benefits of drinking coffee, I found some helpful facts online. I realized that aside from boosting our morning by drinking coffee, it can actually give us more than that:

• Reduced Gall Stone. The Harvard School of Public Health recently published a study indicating that drinking caffeinated coffee on a regular basis can dramatically decrease the incidence of gall bladder disease and gall stones in both women and men.
• Reduced Risk for Alzheimer's Disease. Two studies, one published in the European Journal of Neurology, have shown that individuals who drank about 2 cups of caffeinated coffee per day were less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than individuals who drank no coffee or a small to moderate amount.
• Reduced Risk for Parkinson's Disease. Studies have shown that the amount of coffee and caffeine consumed could be inversely related to an individual's likelihood of contracting Parkinson's disease. This means the more coffee you drink, the lower your chances are for developing the disease.
• Antioxidants and Cancer-Fighting Properties. Coffee is a powerful source of antioxidants - agents that combat cancer-causing free radicals. Coffee is chock full of the compound methylpyridinium, which can't be found in many other food items and not at the level available in coffee. You can get antioxidants from both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee as long as the beans are sufficiently roasted.
• Increased Cognitive Ability. Studies have shown that regular coffee drinkers frequently score significantly higher on cognitive ability tests, spatial awareness exams, IQ tests, and short term memory studies. The effects of coffee on an individual's cognitive ability appeared to be more pronounced in elderly study participants and women.
• Bowel Stimulation. Coffee is a stimulant and also a laxative. Some alternative practitioners even prescribe coffee enemas to stimulate the lower colon.However, because coffee is also a diuretic, it can cause constipation in some individuals.
• Reduced Risk for Gout. A large study of over 45,000 men that was conducted over a 12-year period showed the amount of coffee consumed was inversely related to their risk or likelihood of developing gout.

Getting all this benefits from drinking coffee is good, but we also need to practice taking coffee in moderation and also advice from health expert is still our first priority. To some, drinking coffee is bad and could lead you to a serious illness in the future. For me, coffee is good for the health and personally I can think good and feel good when drinking coffee. But of course I know my limit and wont take it and will lead to addiction.