Scientists all over the world remain fascinated by coffee, specifically caffeine and its impact on our overall health and well-being. It should come as no surprise that there are health implications, both good and bad, tied to your morning java. Caffeine is actually only one of the over 1000 natural compounds found in coffee beans and guess what? Over 300 more compounds come to life throughout the roasting process. So what does that mean for our bodies and minds? Moderate/reasonable consumption can help with:

• Preventing organ issues such as liver disease
• improve our cognitive abilities
• Memory and Retention
• Stamina, endurance and even athletic performance
• Mitigate and lower risk of getting Diabetes
• Lower risk of depression

There are more benefits being added to this list daily which is helping us turn our idea of coffee around and giving it a brand new, shiny and good reputation. Caffeine is the main reason for all of these benefits and so it is important that we understand that the amount of caffeine varies by type of coffee, thus the actual impact and seriousness of these benefits depends on what you’re drinking. In addition, caffeine, much like alcohol and other beverages, impacts us all differently. Depending on our height, weight, and age, the good and bad impacts of caffeine and of coffee can vary in size and scope.

Some of the drawbacks to be aware of when it comes to drinking coffee include:

• Staining teeth
• Unpleasant breath
• Potential addiction/ dependency (there are addictive properties in caffeine)
• weight gain (depending on what you put in your coffee)
• Blood Pressure issues
• Heart attack (increased risk- coffee itself will not cause a heart attack)

In essence, because you want the benefits to outweigh the risks, ensure that you drink coffee in moderation and that you monitor your health and know your body.