A different side of coffee

By Sharmeen Merali

It has often been suggested that having too much Coffee is a no-no for your health I even started to believe that I was going downhill given my ‘I have to have a giant mug of coffee per day’ routine. Clearly I was wrong and I feel bad for telling my brother off for downing a whole thermos of black coffee every day!

I was searching the internet and came across an article claiming that a recent study had uncovered that coffee consumption could prevent weight gain. I wanted to text my mother, since she was constantly worried about my caffeine overload. I researched more and came across other benefits about coffee consumption that are pretty mind-blowing.

Did you know that those who drink coffee are less likely to commit suicide?  Apparently just the smell can ward off depression. I do agree with that theory because whenever I get a whiff of coffee at home or at a café, it just makes me happy and at ease. There is just something about the aroma! This is supported by a study done at the Harvard School of Public Health that claims drinking between 2-4 cups of coffee per day reduce risk of suicide by 50% as it acts as a mild antidepressant by helping productions of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline. – That’s a lot of scientific words, but the point is when you feel the world has betrayed you and everything seems bleak, go to a nearby coffee house or the kitchen and make yourself a steaming cup of coffee.

Weight is an annoying battle that targets many people. There are some components in coffee that actually maintain weight and even better, increases metabolism by 3-11%. Coffee also increases physical strength as it escalates adrenaline levels in our body which gives us our ‘flight or fight’ response. For gym-lovers, having a strong cup of coffee half an hour before going to the gym could prove useful in really working out those abs!

Sometimes we come across people who poke fun of a lapse in brainpower or make comments on those ‘I just don’t feel like doing anything’ moments. Don’t you just hate it when this happens? Fear not, coffee may come to the rescue. Many controlled trials in humans show that coffee improves various aspects of brain function. This includes memory, mood, alertness, energy levels, reaction times and general cognitive functions. Rather then feeling low about yourself, grab a cup of coffee and you are good to go.

I have mentioned a few benefits of coffee that relate to us socially, but believe me when I say there are so many other benefits of coffee one can research further. However, I must add it has been said whenever you overdo something, its not good for you so as much as many of us love our coffee sessions, we shouldn’t go overboard as it can prove dangerous to our health. Let us all be sensible and enjoy a balanced amount of coffee every once in a while at work, at home, or when hanging out with friends and family.

 

Sharmeen Merali studies in England and is now a free-lance writer, proof-reader and typist. Sharmeen believes in promoting talents as she feels people deserve to be appreciated. Having had a rocky road with her health, she has used laughter as a means of healing. She currently lives in Dar es Salaam and works for EscapeXperience Tanzania as a gamemaster.