Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world for a reason: It not only tastes good and gives you that early-morning pick-me-up, but it also has plenty of health benefits. 

Whether you want to sip on coffee for its health benefits that could potentially help you live longer and protect your heart – or you love it for its ability to improve the appearance of your skin – there are endless reasons to love your morning cup of joe. 

Benefits of Coffee

Below, we list down some of the health benefits of drinking coffee – in moderation. 

• Coffee may help you live longer.
  Drinking coffee alone won’t necessarily make you live longer. However, several studies suggest that those who drink coffee appear to live longer than those who don’t. One study showed that women who consumed coffee had a reduced risk of death from heart disease, cancer, and other diseases, which promotes a longer lifespan.
  
  Another study also showed that coffee drinkers had a reduced risk of dying prematurely from diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Another study found that those who drink 1-5 cups of coffee a day avoid diseases linked to premature death. 

• Coffee could help reduce your risk of diabetes.
  Studies suggest that those who enjoy drinking coffee every morning have a much lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. One study shows that those who consumed 6 or more cups per day had a 22% reduced risk of diabetes. So, pour yourself a cup – just make sure to exclude the sugar and cream.
   
• Coffee could help reduce your risk of heart disease.
  Heart disease is one of the top causes of death around the world. Luckily, coffee could help reduce your risk. In one study, researchers found that those who consumed 3-5 cups of coffee a day were less likely to show the beginning signs of heart disease.
  
  Another study found that those who consume at least 3 cups a day tend to develop less calcification in their coronary arteries. A review of several observational studies and meta-analyses also concluded that consuming 3-5 cups of coffee per day is associated with a 15% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and a higher consumption hasn’t been linked to an elevated risk. 
  
• Coffee may help protect against cognitive decline.
  Caffeine, a neurostimulating and psychoactive substance, is one of the main ingredients in coffee and is believed to help maintain cognitive functions in the elderly. In one study, a positive impact of moderate coffee consumption (3-5 cups a day) in middle-aged people resulted in 65% decrease of dementia risk in the elderly. 
• Coffee could help reduce your stroke risk.
  Most of the studies reviewing the link between stroke and coffee consumption have suggested that drinking coffee is linked with a reduced stroke risk. Data from a meta-analysis of 11 studies, with 10,003 cases of stroke and 479,689 participants, found that moderate coffee consumption may be inversely associated with stroke risk.
  
  Compared with no coffee consumption, drinking 2 cups of coffee per day was associated with a 14% reduction and 3 cups per day was associated with a 17% reduction of stroke risk.
   
• Coffee may help reduce the appearance of cellulite on the skin.
  It’s believed that that caffeine content in coffee is crucial to cellulite reduction by dilating blood vessels underneath the skin and improving overall blood flow. In turn, this may help decrease the appearance of cellulite. Experts recommend doing this skincare method through a coffee scrub because the exfoliation may also smooth your skin and provide an even appearance. 
  
• Coffee may help reduce your risk for certain types of cancer.
  Coffee is a rich source of niacin (vitamin B3), and according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, niacin may be helpful in preventing non-melanoma skin cancers and may prevent other skin growths. Coffee has also been shown to reduce colorectal cancer risk. According to one study, even moderate consumption of coffee can reduce colorectal cancer risk by 26%
  
  This proactive benefit increases with more consumption. Coffee has also been found to reduce liver cancer risk. In a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies, researchers found that coffee consumption can reduce the risk of liver cancer –hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) – by 40% for any coffee consumption vs. no consumption.
  
• Coffee may have anti-aging benefits.Applying coffee directly to your skin may help decrease the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, redness, and sun spots. In fact, one study found a direct correlation between coffee consumption and a decrease in photoaging effects.
  
• Coffee could help prevent cavities.
  While coffee is known to stain the teeth, researchers discovered that it can protect them. According to one study, coffee consumption can actually help prevent cavities and tooth decay – evidently, coffee has antibacterial and anti-cavity properties.
  
  But there’s a catch – you have to drink it black, meaning you can’t add sugar, milk, and other additives since it can negate this benefit. Another study found that high-caffeine coffee can deter the formation of plaque due to the polyphenols in the coffee which seemingly destroys bacterial growth on teeth.
  
• Coffee can reduce the risk of depression and suicide.
  A 10-year study of 86,000 female registered nurses shows a reduced risk of suicide among coffee drinkers. Another study found that women who drink 4 or more cups of coffee per day were 20% less likely to suffer from depression.
  
  How does it help you feel good mentally? According to one study, drinking coffee actually acts as a mild antidepressant by boosting feel-good neurotransmitters in the brain. After examining 44,000 men and 74,000 women, researchers found that a few cups of coffee reduced the risk of suicide by 50%. 

The Bottom Line

Experts recommend limiting your coffee consumption to 400mg (4-5 cups) of coffee per day.

As long as you stay well within the recommended level of coffee consumption – and go easy on sweeteners and other additives – you can enjoy the numerous health benefits of drinking coffee!