There’s nothing like that morning cup of coffee. It makes getting out of bed a little easier. But it goes way beyond perking you up…
A new study in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease reveals coffee is a great way to boost your brain function.1 And I don’t mean performing a little bit better on a memory test… I’m talking about a real protective effect.
Researchers monitored the coffee-drinking habits of 1,445 people aged 65-84. They also looked at the incidences of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among them.
People who drank a moderate amount of coffee every day had a lower risk of MCI than those who rarely or never drank it.
It’s an exciting finding… But there’s a catch.
There’s a sweet spot when it comes to drinking coffee. The people who increased their consumption to more than this amount a day did nothing to lower their MCI risk. Just the opposite.
People who upped their coffee intake over time had a higher risk of developing MCI.
So how much coffee should you be drinking each day to protect your brain?
Just one cup. That’s all it takes.
This isn’t the only recent study pointing to the benefits of one cup a day… Another found the antioxidants in just a single cup help tame blood sugar.
Researchers in Japan studied 19 healthy men. They consumed either a polyphenol-rich coffee drink or a placebo drink. These men had their blood markers measured three hours after the meal.2
The coffee drinkers had lower blood sugar. They also had increased “flow mediated dilation.” This is a measure of blood flow and the overall health of your circulatory system.
No surprise there… Coffee is one of the best ways to get more polyphenols in your diet. These antioxidants help reduce the risk of everything from cancer to heart disease. They’re also why drinking coffee could cut your diabetes risk in half.
So, our advice to you is to keep enjoying that morning cup of coffee… But keep it to about a cup a day. Drinking this amount won’t just help shield your brain from aging… It’ll also point you to the other health benefits we mentioned. And it will limit your risk for any negative effects.
Try to find fresh, organic coffee whenever you can. Poor quality coffee can expose you to mycotoxins that attack your immune system.
While you’re at it, make sure to skip the creamers, sugar, and sweeteners. Adding these will reverse the health benefits of coffee… And turn it into one of the sugar-sweetened beverages you should avoid.
In Good Health,
Angela Salerno
Publisher, INH Health Watch
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References:
1http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/297449.php
2http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Coffee-polyphenol-may-help-manage-blood-sugar-in-healthy-people-Study