1. Boosts Energy

There is no hiding the fact that a cup of jo will wake you up in the morning but have you ever wondered why? According to Gunnars, it has to do with the fact that coffee contains three prominent psychoactive substances! The most commonly known is caffeine but theobromine and chlorogenic acid are also active compounds in coffee that have a stimulant effect and can help with those tired mornings.

In particular, caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain called adenosine then releases neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. The result is heightened alertness and stamina to get you through your day!

2. Increases Metabolism

Without a doubt, caffeine is the most commercialized ingredient in coffee, but it is not because of the taste. Studies show that caffeine can increase individuals metabolic rate by 3-11 percent depending on the amount ingested. Larger doses have a stronger effect, but it is vital to control consumption as individuals can become tolerant.

Tolerance also depends on the person and is typically less prominent in obese or older individuals and more notable in younger individuals. Interestingly, most of the increase in metabolism is due to a rise in the burning of fat which leads to the next underlying reason to indulge!

3. Mobilizes Fat

That’s right caffeine burns fat! It stimulates the nervous system, which sends direct signals to the fat cells to tell them to break down fat.

Ultimately, caffeine increases adrenaline in the bloodstream which breaks down the fat tissue and releases it into the blood. This process mobilizes fat from the fat tissues and makes it available for use as free fatty acids in the blood!

4. Prevents Disease

The health benefits don’t stop there. Research shows that drinking coffee can help prevent a variety of diseases. For instance, researchers at the University of Georgia have discovered that the chlorogenic acid compound found in coffee may help prevent some of the damaging effects of obesity. Previous studies have also shown that coffee consumption may lower the risk for chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Shockingly, those are only to name a few. Caffeine intake is associated with a significantly lower incidence of Parkinson’s disease and the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. It’s no wonder why coffee is so popular!

5. Administers Happiness

With that said, the final reason why coffee is so renowned is since it acts as a mild antidepressant by aiding in the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline. A study done by the Harvard School of Public Health determined that drinking between two and four cups of coffee can reduce the risk of suicide in men and women by about 50 percent.

Another study done by the National Institute of Health found that those who drink four or more cups of coffee were about 10 percent less likely to be depressed than those who had never touched the java. Study author, Honglei Chen, states that the proposed reason coffee makes you feel good is those trusty antioxidants!

Therefore, there are no excuses not to celebrate International Coffee Day!

So what should you do next?

Have a cup of coffee and reap the benefits that it has on the human body today!