We love our coffee, but there's always someone in our social circles who is so anti-caffeine that no one invites them over for coffee breaks anymore. We made a list of some health benefits of coffee.

Energy Booster

This is the primary reason most of us drink coffee in copious amounts throughout the day. A stimulant known as caffeine is the cause for all this sudden energy. Caffeine is rapidly absorbed into our bloodstreams and then sent to the brain which is then flooded by the happy hormones like dopamine and begins to work at an increased rate of production. This increase can be seen in multiple forms which include increased cognitive response, higher physical performance and more feelings of alertness on the job.

Antioxidants

For the standard Western diet, coffee is the best thing ever to happen. It is loaded with antioxidants which are healthy superfoods that doctors say we need to consume more of and they aren’t wrong. Most of us are told to eat more fruits and vegetables containing these antioxidants (pomegranates are a delicious and popular example), but if fresh produce isn’t a viable or affordable option, then coffee is the next best thing. In fact, it might just be the healthiest drink available. According to some studies, we can get more antioxidants from coffee than from fruits and vegetables combined.

Pain Killer

We have been told to avoid coffee before and after our workouts because it makes us dehydrated. This is due to the fact that coffee is a diuretic. Since we are already working out, we are probably drinking a lot of water and electrolytes. Having some coffee post workout might actually be good for us. Some studies have shown that two cups of coffee after working out can minimize that post-workout pain by 48% which sounds great by our standards. As long as we pair that coffee with some water, later on, we should be golden.

Daily Dose Of Vitamins

That’s right that delicious cup of coffee has vitamins in it! Granted, it isn’t large amounts, but when it is all added up at the end of the day times three or four cups of coffee, those vitamin numbers are looking pretty good. Roughly speaking, each cup of coffee has about 11% of B2, 6% of B5, 2% of B3 and 3% of manganese and potassium based on the recommended daily amount. That sounds really good after a few cups of coffee.

Anti-Depressant

There are several studies behind this claim, so we know it is legit and that scientists drink a lot of coffee in the name of science and national health. For women who drink four cups of coffee a day, they have a 20% lower chance of becoming suicidal compared to their fellow women who drink more or less coffee. Another study found that men and women who drink four cups a day were 53% less likely to die by suicide.

Liver Loves Coffee

Okay, it might not actually love it, but it definitely benefits from our coffee habit. Our liver is a very important and hard-working organ, and one of the best things we can do for it (surprisingly) is to drink coffee. People who drink four or more cups of coffee every day have an 80% lower risk of developing cirrhosis of the liver. It sounds like some of us might need to up our coffee count.

Memory Boost

To be more specific, short-term memory boosts. Caffeine targets the part of the brain which processes memory and concentration. When we have one cup of coffee, our brain activity increases in these areas and helps us focus, process information and (hopefully) remember it later. Scientists don’t know how long these effects can last so we should experiment some more ourselves and order coffee in bulk from Amazon next week. In the meantime, now that we know coffee sharpens our concentration skills, we should time the mid-morning break and tackle the biggest task first.

Heart Healthy

Anything labeled heart healthy is eye-catching and definitely worth looking into if there is a family history of heart disease. A Dutch study that spanned 13 years came to the conclusion that people who drank two cups of coffee a day had a 20% lower risk of heart disease compared to light or heavy coffee drinkers and people who don’t drink coffee at all. This sounds specific and very interesting. A good breakfast routine could therefore consist of a bowl of Cheerios with two cups of coffee every day.

Gout Guardian

Coffee has been shown to guard against developing gout due to the fact that it lowers uric acid levels in the body. In one study women who consumed at least four cups of regular coffee had a 57% decrease in developing gout while women who consumed one to three cups had a 22% decrease and women who had one cup of decaf a day had a 23% decrease risk of gout. The numbers are similar for men; guys who drink four or five cups a day decrease their chances of getting gout by 40% and those who have six or more cups a day decrease to 60%.

Curbing Cancer

While the cure for cancer is still being researched and debated, several studies have found that regular coffee consumption can lessen the risk of developing certain cancers in people from prostate and endometrial cancers to liver, colon, intestinal, breast and rectal cancers. This is due primarily to the high amounts of antioxidants contained in coffee (as well as the particular type of antioxidants they are) and coffee’s natural anti-inflammatory properties.

Longevity

The ancients were very interested in longevity cures. They would have loved coffee. In two major studies, it was found that men and women 18-24 had a decreased risk of death by 20% for men and 26% for women simply from drinking coffee. The other study was focused on individuals with Type 2 Diabetes and over the course of 20 years; it was found that coffee drinkers had a 30% lower risk of death. It sounds like we need to drink more coffee.