Could your favorite morning beverage have measurable health benefits?  Lucky you, that answer is a big fat yes.  There are a few caveats, but overall coffee is a boon to our health and longevity, and today you’re going to learn how.

The biggest thing coffee has going for it is the whopping antioxidant content.  Nothing else in our diet comes close to the antioxidants in coffee, not even blueberries, acai, or whatever other superfruit you want to eat.  Yes, still eat your fruits and vegetables, since coffee doesn’t have much in the way of actual nutrition, but enjoy the antioxidant boost.

Your liver loves coffee as much as you do.  Coffee is protective against liver cirrhosis, and can help protect against fatty liver disease.

Coffee as a performance enhancer?  You bet!  Coffee can improve performance for both power and endurance sports.  Not only does it give that feeling of alertness and power, but it helps the body to burn fatty acids for energy.

Fatty acids?  Yes, that does indeed mean that drinking coffee can make it easier to lose weight.  This is especially true since coffee has the double whammy of suppressing appetite

It’s because of these same mechanisms that coffee can help decrease your chances of Type 2 Diabetes.  Since this is a rampant problem in today’s modern world, combining coffee with a smart food and exercise plan can make a positive difference.

Coffee helps to regulate the neurotransmitters in your brain.  It helps us be happier and more functional.  More than that, it can decrease your symptoms of Parkinson’s reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s.  Research indicates that drinking coffee can help you be smarter, too.

Coffee decreases the risks for suicide, lowers levels of stress, and is protective for your heart and circulatory system.  Bonus, it can help decrease your chance for cancer.

One of the caveats is that not everyone loves coffee.  If you feel ill or jittery when you drink coffee, you likely have one of the gene mutations that doesn’t let you enjoy this tasty drink.  Coffee is not for you!  (More for me).

The other caveat is that these benefits were shown in those drinking plain, no sugar, no milk, coffee flavored coffee.  If your usual drink is more sugar and milk than coffee, all bets are off.