By: Dr. Andrew Baranski
Coffee is a staple of the human experience, and has been since it was first discovered in Ethiopia some time in the 15th century. Once discovered it was cultivated in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and eventually in the Americas. Coffee is now the most popular beverage consumed worldwide. Americans drink 146 billion cups of coffee per year, but very few are aware of the health benefits of their favorite morning beverage when used appropriately.
Health Benefits of Coffee:
- Coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the average human diet. This will not be true if you are eating the advanced plan diet, but in the standard American diet this is true. Coffee is rich in polyphenols that can be protective against Alzheimer’s. Just make sure your brewing method includes a metal filter, because these antioxidants are absorbed in paper filters.
- Coffee is good for your liver and has been shown to protect against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Coffee is shown to stimulate the secretion of glutathione by the liver which is the most powerful known antioxidant. This increase in glutathione production is attributed to cancer protective benefits of coffee.
- The caffeine in coffee has been shown to serve as an ergogenic aid that accelerates athletic performance. Coffee has been shown to improve power output and speed in endurance athletes.
- Coffee not only combats the amyloid proteins that cause Alzheimer’s to manifest, but also improves cognitive function. Research has shown coffee to be effective in improving memory and clearing brain fog.
- The antioxidants in coffee are shown to be effective in regulating blood sugar and lowering the incidence of type-2 diabetes.
- Two specific antioxidants, cafestol and kahweol, have been shown to balance cholesterol levels in the blood. Regular coffee consumption in large epidemiological studies has revealed reduced mortality, both for all-cause and cardiovascular deaths.
- Emerging research has discovered cancer protecting properties of coffee due to the specific antioxidant concentration found in the coffee beans.
- Coffee is also shown to aid fat loss and increase circulating levels of ketones in the blood. Research shows that coffee boosts metabolism by 7% for up to 3 hours after consumption, and increases the utilization of stored body fat for fuel.
Disclaimer: Not all coffee beans are created equal. Coffee is one of the most high pesticide sprayed crops in the world, so you want to ensure that your beans are coming from an organic grower. Coffee beans are also susceptible to mold mycotoxins. Beans that are wet processed, grown at higher elevations, and locally roasted are shown to be the lowest in mold toxins. Check out this video where I discuss the health benefits of coffee and share some Advanced Plan coffee recipes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lzj_9Ua1FF8&t=15s