Coffee is a pretty ubiquitous part of many of our everyday lives. I am drinking a cup as I write this. Caffeine is technically the world’s most popular psychoactive substance and Coffee, in particular, has been consumed for hundreds of thousands of years, dating back to around 830 CE and probably even earlier.
For a long time now, there’s been speculation about what nutritional value coffee has, and how good for us it is.
Many deride it, probably due to studies from the 1980s and ’90s that concluded that we coffee lovers had a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. However, research has evolved since then and there’s just a bit more nuance to the topic now.
Firstly, we just want to say right off the bat that coffee is in fact, good for us - and we’re not just saying that because we sell coffee -, if consumed in moderation, of course.
Three to five cups of coffee per day is said to be a reasonable amount of coffee consumption, and research from the US national cancer institute has even suggested that coffee is tied to a lower risk of mortality.
An obvious benefit of coffee - and likely the reason many of us consume it in the first place - is the fact that it helps us keep alert and awake.
The recommended level of consumption of about 1-4 cups a day will help you focus on important tasks more effectively and heighten your mental alertness.
On the flip side, though, this heightened level of energy and alertness will inevitably have its consequences later in the day.
If you’re fairly sensitive to caffeine, four or more cups of coffee will most likely lead to a restless night full of tossing and turning.
Coffee will also help boost your physical capabilities and endurance. It’s said that drinking a cup of (black) coffee about an hour before a workout session will improve your physical performance, as caffeine increases the levels of adrenaline (the fight or flight hormone) in your bloodstream.
Not only this, but coffee also protects both our bodies and minds. The rich level of antioxidants that coffee contains help fight off free radicals (compounds that harm our bodies if their levels are left to build up), and the heightened levels of caffeine levels in our bloodstreams are said to potentially reduce the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Dementia.
Despite this, bad quality coffee can be toxic for our bodies. Subpar quality coffee that contains too many impurities that can make us feel nauseous or give us a headache.
Luckily for you, though, We Are Coffee Co. provides only premium quality coffee and we have a dedicated science lab that ‘safety screens’ every coffee, ensuring no contaminants are present. So, you have nothing to worry about with us in that department.
One thing we would recommend to our fellow coffee aficionados with higher cholesterol levels is to filter your coffee if you can.
This is because two of coffee’s active ingredients (Cafestol and Kahweol) heighten our levels of LDL cholesterol. When we filter our coffee, it traps the bulk of the LDL.
So, is coffee good for you?
In short, yes. However, we urge you to consume sensibly and in moderation to fully reap its benefits and avoid any of the disadvantages associated with it.
If you want an additional kick to your morning coffee, we suggest you have a look at our extensive range of coffee, including Kanya 019, Basha Bekele, and Antigua.