A nutritionist says your morning cup of coffee has surprising health benefits - and can even be better for you than a cup of tea. Nutritionist James Ellis said that while both coffee and tea contain plant substance polyphenols - that can reduce the risk of chronic disease and work as fuel for healthy bacteria in your gut - coffee has double the amount.
Coffee is also packed with antioxidants and studies have shown that it may help to reduce the risk of heart disease, type two diabetes, liver disease and even some cancers. Speaking to Coffee Friend, nutritionist James said recent studies have even found that it may also help you to live longer.
James said: “Both coffee and tea contain beneficial plant substances called polyphenols that may help reduce chronic disease risk, but also work as fuel for the beneficial bacteria in your gut microbiome. Coffee has almost double the amount of polyphenols as green tea and more than double the amount found in regular black tea.
“I believe that buying the best quality coffee you can afford will always offer you the best option. Look for organic, single-origin coffee beans where you can, and make sure they are in-date. Preferably, you want to grind them yourself as grinding the beans releases their natural oils which improves flavour and may increase health benefits too. As soon as coffee is ground though, a drop-off starts to occur so the shorter time you can have between grinding and drinking, the better. Of course, if you don’t have a grinder, just use quality in-date ground coffee. Finally invest in a decent coffee machine or press to get the best out of your coffee.
“Coffee is packed with antioxidants and moderate consumption (say two to four cups a day) has been shown in studies to help reduce the risk of heart disease, type two diabetes, liver disease, and even some cancers. Coffee may even help reduce the risk of damage to your DNA.”
"A recent observational study looked at participants who drank between two to four cups of coffee per day over a number of years and found they had a lower risk of dying. It’s worth noting that observational studies can’t prove what is known as causation, only strong association, but those results feel promising and there’s more research being done all the time.
“Another study found that your morning cup of coffee actually contains up to two grams of fibre and that can help your toilet habits stay regular too. Some research has found that a cup of coffee contains more fibre than a glass of orange juice, so starting your day with a caffeine boost is beneficial.
“Those who partake in sports can also feel the benefits of the caffeine in coffee as it reduces a person's perceived rate of exertion. In simple terms, it means you should be able to push yourself more without feeling it as much.
“Coffee can help a process called vasodilation, which widens the blood vessels and causes them to relax and therefore reduce pressure which can lead to painful headaches.
“There are compounds in coffee that can have a positive impact on the gut and lining. There have been a lot of studies to link gut health to brain health, which has led researchers to suggest a link between coffee and a reduced risk of things like Parkinson's and Alzheimer’s.”
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