Health Benefits of Coffee

It’s fragrant, delicious and it’s the reason many of us make it to work in the morning: coffee.  Now I’m not saying it’s the nectar of the health gods, but it’s not as bad as you may think. Coffee has been proven to offer many health benefits, so grab a cup of joe and check ’em out:

1) May Reduce the Risk of Skin Cancer – While sunscreen and reducing your sun exposure are the best way to avoid getting skin cancer, a recent study found that women who drank 3 or more cups of brew a day had a 20% lower risk for basal cell carcinoma, and men had a 9% lower risk.

2) Can Boost Fertility in Men -“Studies have shown that caffeine has a positive effect on sperm motility-the ability of sperm to move toward an egg-and could increase your chances of [getting pregnant],” states John Wilcox, MD, FACOG, a reproductive endocrinologist at HRC Fertility in California. The amount of coffee didn’t make a difference, just the fact if men regularly consumed it or not.

3) Helps Promote a Healthy Weight – “When you drink coffee after a meal, it causes your body to more slowly process the meal you just ate,” says medical researcher Chris Kilham. David Levitsky, PhD, professor of nutritional science at Cornell University stated, “Caffeine decreases the rate at which the stomach dumps its contents into the duodenum-a part of the small intestine where digestion takes place-and also increases metabolic rate.” But remember, it’s no miracle drug. While it may help promote a healthy weight, real weight loss still requires good, ole fashioned hard work!

4) May Help Fight Depression – Recently a study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that women who drink caffeinated coffee have about a 20% lower risk of depression. The study occurred over a ten year period and also found that the more coffee that was consumed, the less likely depression would occur.
Sources: shine.yahoo.com