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Let’s face it: There are days when one cup of coffee just isn’t going to be enough. No matter how life-changing another cup of Joe could be, we also are well aware of the negative side effects associated with too much caffeine—anxiety, heartburn, elevated heart rate—and let’s not forget the good, old-fashioned case of the jitters, which doesn’t make for an ideal situation at your morning meeting.
There have been studies that show coffee brings more health than harm, and research on caffeine that indicates we’re all getting way too much of it from coffee and other things like energy drinks, chocolate. But research is always evolving and, as new info comes in, we can make (slight) adjustments to the way we eat and drink. When it comes to coffee, this is the surprising reason you should get that second cup of coffee after all.
Benefits Of A Second Cup Of Coffee
A study reported in the Circulation Journal found that drinking two or even three cups of coffee each day can have an amazing effect on your health. It can reduce your risk of getting heart disease, diabetes, and neurological issues.
Researchers tracked the habits of thousands of participants over a 30-year period and found that those who drank up to five cups of coffee (assuming they were not smokers) experienced a lower risk of death from Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, neurological diseases, and even suicide.
The theory for better health linked to coffee reason has little to do with coffee's caffeine content and more to do with naturally occurring chemicals found in coffee beans. There are, of course, exceptions to the a-bit-more-could-be-better coffee finding.
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Here's When One (Or No) Cups Of Coffee Are Better
Bioactive compounds in coffee can reduce insulin resistance and reduce inflammation, Dr. Ming Ding, the study's lead author told Forbes. But that doesn't mean more than a cup of coffee—or any coffee at all—is right for everyone.
"Regular consumption of coffee can be included as part of a healthy, balanced diet," senior author Frank Hu, M.D., Ph.D., a Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Harvard, told Forbes. "However, certain populations such as pregnant women and children should be cautious about high caffeine intake from coffee or other beverages."
For more info about coffee, check out 6 Things you're adding to your coffee that's slowing your weight loss and The one coffee you should never order at Starbucks on SHEFinds.com.
