Along with tea, coffee is one of the most consumed flavored beverages in the world. It’s been reported that the act of making this drink is the most crucial part of a coffee lover’s morning and a majority would rather skip a shower than give up their daily cup of Joe.
Coffee became popular due to its versatility. It can be consumed alone or with sugar and cream for more flavors. On top of that, it can be used to enhance the taste of baked goods. The drink also provides lots of benefits for the brain and body.
A Confounding Craze
Who would’ve thought that this bitter-tasting drink would become so popular that thousands of iterations have been produced with it as the base?
A study by the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine showed surprising results when researchers found that coffee lovers are actually more sensitive to the bitter taste of the drink. They looked at three sources of bitterness: caffeine, quinine, and propylthiouracil or PROP. It led to the discovery that people who have high sensitivity to caffeine drank more coffee while those with a low tolerance for the unpleasant taste of quinine and PROP didn’t enjoy the drink as much.
The research implies that the obsession with coffee may be a psychological phenomenon through classical conditioning and positive reinforcement. This means that avid coffee drinkers feel some sort of reward when they drink this beverage because of the high they get from it; thus, they bear the bitterness in anticipation of the energy boost that’ll help them function in the mornings.
Coffee and Its Charms
Nowadays, almost every street has a coffee shop that boasts their own specialty roast. Its popularity has also led to the production of several materials and resources online such as homegrounds to educate those who want to learn more about the drink and convert them into coffee enthusiasts.
Here are the advantages of drinking coffee:
- Improve Brain Function
Caffeine, the primary chemical in coffee, not only boosts your energy levels; it also improves brain functions like memory, mood, reaction times, and overall cognitive performance. It does this by blocking adenosine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and leads to more firing of neurons. This is why most people drink coffee to wake their brains up.
- Aid in Burning Fat
Coffee, when taken black without sugar and cream, can actually help you burn fat. Caffeine is one of the ingredients of several fat-burning supplements that are sold commercially. It can boost your metabolic rate by stimulating your nervous system.
These are the other biologically-active substances in coffee that influence metabolism:
- Theobromine – This is the main chemical in cocoa drinks. It can be found in coffee in smaller amounts.
- Theophylline – It’s a stimulant present in cocoa and coffee. This substance is primarily used for treating asthma and other respiratory problems.
- Chlorogenic Acid – This acid helps minimize or slow down the absorption of carbs.
- Boost Physical Performance
Coffee also affects your physical performance by increasing epinephrine, which leads to higher adrenaline levels in your blood. By consuming the bitter beverage, you prepare your body for action with the breaking down of body fat and transforming it into fuel.
- Adds Essential Nutrients
Most people’s diets aren’t enough to provide them with all the vitamins and minerals that they need each day. When you drink coffee, you add a few essential nutrients to help you at school or in the office.
One cup of Joe includes:
- 11 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B2 or Riboflavin
- 6 percent of vitamin B5 or Pantothenic Acid
- 3 percent each of manganese and potassium
- 2 percent of magnesium and vitamin B3 or niacin
- Protects from Debilitating Diseases
The consumption of coffee has been associated with having a longer lifespan. Coffee drinkers may enjoy more days of savoring their favorite beverage since it offers protection from serious illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s, and dementia.
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