Can coffee be the elixir?

Coffee is undoubtedly the most popular beverage, loved by millions of people in the world. Though Ethiopia and Sudan are widely regarded as the birth place of coffee plant, it was the Yemenis, in the 15th century, who actually brewed coffee as a refreshing drink.

The aroma and the flavour of coffee are unique in different regions and countries. It is the caffeine, a stimulant contained in coffee, which makes the beverage extremely refreshing. Your body feels relaxed and refreshed even with a small dose of caffeine. However, consuming too much caffeine will only harm the body.

Research studies are being conducted around the world to determine whether drinking coffee is actually beneficial or harmful to the body. Many studies have already revealed the incredible benefits of enjoying a cup of hot coffee. However, some other studies say that excess amount of caffeine would definitely harm the well-being of body.

Coffee is even a known prevention for many diseases as well. The antioxidants in coffee and tea can effectively fight diabetes. An international research group, in 2009, found out that the chances of diabetes are significantly low in those who consume lightly sweetened tea or coffee. It also revealed that the danger or the severity posed by type 2 diabetes decreases with the increase in rate of tea or coffee consumption.

Another research found out that the caffeine in coffee can effectively prevent skin cancer. It was revealed that the caffeine disrupts the functioning of the ATR protein, which is usually found in the skin cells which have been exposed to ultra violet radiation. These cells thus destroy themselves. It is the ATR protein which aids the proliferation of the affected cells. The caffeine, by disrupting the ATR protein's functioning, actually prevents the cancer from spreading to more skin cells. Meanwhile, caffeine doesn't make any changes in the normal skin cells. Caffeine actually facilitates the natural destruction of the cells which have been exposed to a dose of radiation.

The research report published by the renowned John Hopkins University, in 2003, reiterates the incredible advantages of drinking coffee. They found out that consuming coffee in limited amounts helps control the blood pressure. It was revealed that consuming two cups of coffee a day wouldn't cause the blood pressure to shoot.

Meanwhile, the studies conducted by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee led to the scientific assumptions that drinking 3-5 cups of coffee a day would stimulate the functioning of the brain. It is particularly helpful for maintaining the basic functioning of the brain and thereby prevents memory loss to a certain extent.

As per the studies, a person consuming medium amount of coffee has 27% less chances in suffering memory loss. It has also been revealed that diseases like memory loss or amnesia would be rare in a person who regularly consumes coffee for a prolonged period of time.