Today is international coffee day! Like many of you, I enjoy starting my mornings with a comforting cup of coffee- strong oat latte, please! It’s no secret that we Melbournian’s are proud of our top-notch coffee culture, which is admired worldwide. I’m here to answer some coffee related queries, you may have been brewing over (pun intended).
Does coffee contain antioxidants?
Coffee is shown to contain large amounts of several powerful antioxidants, including hydroxycinnamic acids & polyphenols, and is one of the highest dietary contributors of antioxidants in the western diet due to the amount we consume compared to other antioxidant-rich foods. 1, 2, 3.
Hydroxycinnamic acids are potent antioxidants that are great at fighting free radicals 4, while the polyphenols in coffee have shown to help fight a range of diseases 5, 6, 7, fight free radicals, protect your skin from UV radiation, and promote brain health 8.
Does coffee “burn fat”?
Coffee contains a range of active ingredients, with the big one being caffeine. These active ingredients can boost metabolic rate and the oxidisation of fatty acids in the body 9, 10, both of which can promote fat burn in the body 11, 12, 13.
Can drinking coffee reduce the risk of disease?
It may surprise you that yes, this is true! Various studies have linked the consumption of coffee to a (sometimes significant) reduction in the risk of developing a range of diseases including;
- Type 2 diabetes 14, 15, 16, 17
- Liver cirrhosis 18, 19, 20
- Colorectal & live cancer 21, 22
- Heart Disease & stoke 5, 23, 24, 25
- Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s disease 26, 27, 28, 29
Before you start guzzling coffee like its water, it does still come with some negative effects! Excessive consumption of caffeine has been linked to adverse effects such as impaired sleep, anxiety, restlessness, heart palpitations and even impaired fine motor control 30. We all have varying caffeine tolerances, but if you want to avoid experiencing these negative side-effects, it may be best to stick to 1 or 2 cups a day.
So, happy International Coffee Day! If you’re around our Foodstore in South Yarra- pop in for a takeaway coffee made with the finest Allpress beans.
Sophie Kane