Unravel the intricate relationship between coffee and your well-being. Discover how this beloved beverage interacts with your brain and body, influencing your health in ways you may not have imagined. Prepare to view your morning cup in a whole new light.
Coffee is the most popular drink in the world
Americans drink more coffee than soda, juice, and tea combined
- The main biologically active ingredients in coffee are caffeine and antioxidants
- Coffee acts as a molecular mimic, filling and blocking the adenosine receptor, preventing the body’s natural ability to be able to rest when it’s tired
- This blocking is also the reason why coffee can leave you feeling jittery or sleepless.
Unique responses
Different people respond to caffeine differently.
- Variation is a function of environment, our past coffee consumption, genetics, chance, and just random chance.
- We may be interested in coffee because of the oh-so-joyous caffeine buzz, but that doesn’t mean that caffeine is the most biologically interesting aspect of a good cup of coffee.
Coffee and cancer
Cancer is uncontrolled cell growth, which is fundamentally about regulating when genes are, or are not, actively expressed
- The antioxidants in coffee may actually have a cancer-fighting effect
- Studies have shown that consuming coffee fights cancer in rats
- Interestingly, coffee consumption has also been linked to reduced rates of other diseases as well
- Higher coffee consumption is linked to lower rates of Parkinson’s disease and some other forms of dementia
- Complexity, combined effects and variation between individuals
