Reduced disease risk, mental health benefits, nutrient-rich: Moderate coffee intake packs a punch

Consuming too much caffeine is definitely bad for your health, and there may be good reasons why some people want to quit it altogether. But if you despair at the idea of giving up your morning coffee, fear not.

There’s lots of research out there to show that moderate coffee intake is linked with all sorts of benefits. As well as well-known pluses improving heart health, a daily cup of coffee even seems to be good for your brain and may help prevent mental illness.

For a start, coffee contains several essential nutrients beneficial to overall health. A typical eight-ounce cup of coffee provides small amounts of B vitamins – riboflavin, pantothenic acid, thiamine and niacin – as well as minerals potassium, manganese, and magnesium. The nutrients in coffee can contribute significantly to daily intake when multiple cups are consumed.

It’s also rich in antioxidants. In fact, many people – especially in the west – will probably get more antioxidants from coffee than from fruit and vegetables.

So what does drinking coffee actually mean for the body? One of the most well-known potential benefits of coffee is its ability to boost energy levels and improve mental alertness, especially first thing in the morning or during an afternoon slump.

This is primarily due to caffeine, a natural stimulant found in coffee, which blocks...

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