Nothing beats the fresh smell of coffee wafting in your kitchen in the morning. Drinking coffee is an excellent way to start the day; it boosts your energy levels and alertness. But how do you take your coffee? With cream and sugar? Or perhaps you're more of a latte person? How about drinking it as it is?

Black coffee refers to plain coffee that is brewed without any additives. While it may taste too strong or bitter for some people, research says that black coffee is very beneficial for your health. After reading this article, you'll definitely be convinced to take your coffee black each day and never look back!

Benefits of Drinking Black Coffee

There is tons of scientific research about the benefits of black coffee. Its health benefits are recognized everywhere in the world. When consumed in the right way, black coffee can help prevent and even heal medical ailments. Let's take a look at some of the most fascinating health benefits of black coffee.

Boosts metabolism

Black coffee can help boost your metabolism by up to 50%. That's why most diet supplements contain caffeine. It also stimulates your nervous system to send signals to your body to burn more fat. Caffeine also helps the body make more glycogen, a great energy source. This effect is enhanced if you drink black coffee 30 minutes before a workout session.

Aids weight loss

As mentioned before, black coffee can boost your metabolism. That alone can help you lose weight, but there's more. A plain cup of joe contains less than 5 calories and it also helps suppress your appetite. Drinking black coffee can curb your craving for snacks and thus, help you consume fewer calories overall.

Provides your body with nutrients

You may not know this, but black coffee is an excellent source of nutrients. It provides the body with essential nutrients, such as Vitamins B2, B3, and B5, Potassium, Magnesium, and Manganese. Plus, coffee is also one of the largest sources of antioxidants, even surpassing fruits and veggies.

Cleanses your body

Drinking coffee is also a wonderful way to flush out toxins from your body. It's a diuretic beverage, which makes you urinate more often and keep your system cleansed. Plus, drinking black coffee makes your liver healthier. People who drink four cups of coffee per day are 80% less likely to develop liver cirrhosis.

Fights depression

Caffeine in black coffee can help your brain release more dopamine, which is a "pleasure chemical". Increased dopamine levels will make you happier and less depressed. Additionally, coffee also contains chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeic acid. Those acids can reduce nerve cell inflammation that causes distress and depression in most people.

Protects you against cardiovascular diseases

Since caffeine may increase your heart rate, it's actually good for your cardiovascular health. Long-term, daily consumption of coffee has been shown to protect against cardiovascular diseases, especially in women. Drinking a cup each day can lower the risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases by 6% and 4 cups can reduce it to up to 20%. That said, if you already suffer from any cardiovascular diseases, please consult your doctor before consuming coffee.

Protects you against neurodegenerative issues

Black coffee consumption enhances your memory and cognitive skills. Thus, drinking coffee regularly can reduce your chances of developing neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's.

Reduces the risk of cancer

Drinking coffee can help protect your body's vital organs from the threat of cancer. Black coffee also reduces inflammation, one of the main causes behind the development of tumors. Let's take a look at the numbers:

• Drinking 1 to 4 cups of coffee daily can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by 15%

• Drinking at least 2 cups of coffee daily can reduce your risk for skin cancer by 20%

• Drinking 2 to 4 cups of coffee daily is associated with a 43% reduced risk of liver cancer

• Daily coffee consumption can reduce the risk of endometrial cancer by 20%, brain tumor by 40%, and melanoma by 20%

Side Effects of Black Coffee

Nevertheless, consuming anything excessively is never good. Most researchers agree that you shouldn't ingest more than 400 mg of caffeine each day. Anything more than that and you might experience some adverse side effects. Here are some disadvantages to drinking too much black coffee.

Messes with your sleeping schedule

Coffee acts as a stimulant. For that reason, drinking too much coffee especially near your bedtime may mess up your sleep schedule. It's common for people to experience insomnia and restlessness due to consuming too much caffeine.

Too much black coffee releases high levels of stress hormones in your body, which only leads to anxiety and stress. It can be easy to feel jittery when you consume too much caffeine.

Causes nervousness and anxiety

Excessive consumption releases high levels of stress hormones. This can lead to anxiety, nervousness, and stress. That's why some people feel jittery after drinking too much coffee. Try to avoid high levels of caffeine if you're already prone to anxiety and panic attacks.

Upsets your stomach

Coffee is acidic, with a pH value ranging from 4.85 to 5.10. That's why excessive coffee consumption may increase stomach acid production. In turn, this can cause heartburn, acid reflux, and general stomach discomfort.

Closing Thoughts

So, what do you think? Will you start drinking black coffee to start your mornings? With all the benefits it offers and its wonderful taste, it's certainly hard to resist a piping hot cup of joe. Of course, everything is only good if consumed in moderation and black coffee is not an exception. Don't drink too much lest you want to experience any of the side effects listed above.

Try to limit your coffee intake to 4 cups per day. But even that is already pushing the limit. Also, if you are pregnant, have anxiety issues, suffer from cardiovascular problems, or any other medical conditions, please consult your doctor about your caffeine tolerance level and coffee intake.