17 Reasons Why You Should Drink Black Coffee

Nutrition

oi-Neha Ghosh

By Neha Ghosh

Friday, January 18, 2019, 17:41 [IST]

Coffee is the most popular and most-loved beverage besides tea. The high concentration of antioxidants in it makes it one of the best drinks ^[1] . This article will discuss the benefits of black coffee without sugar.

Coffee contains caffeine, a natural stimulant which is known to give you lots of energy and help you stay awake when you feel tired ^[2] .

What Is Black Coffee?

Black coffee is regular coffee without sugar, cream and milk. This enhances the actual taste and flavour of the crushed coffee beans. Black coffee is traditionally made in a pot, but modern coffee connoisseurs use the pour-over-method of making black coffee.

Adding sugar to your coffee is harmful to the body as it is associated with conditions like diabetes and obesity ^[3] , ^[4] .

Nutritional Value Of Coffee

100 grams of coffee beans contain 520 kcal (calories) of energy. It also contains

• 8.00 grams protein
• 26.00 grams total lipid (fat)
• 62.00 grams carbohydrate
• 6.0 grams total dietary fibre
• 52.00 grams sugar
• 160 milligrams calcium
• 5.40 milligrams iron
• 150 milligrams sodium
• 200 IU vitamin A

Health Benefits Of Black Coffee

1. Improves heart health

Drinking coffee without adding sugar can reduce the chances of heart disease and inflammation, thereby lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease ^[5] . Studies have shown that coffee consumption lowers the risk of stroke by 20 per cent ^[6] , ^[7] , ^[8] . However, coffee may cause a slight increase in blood pressure, which doesn't cause a problem though.

2. Promotes weight loss

Consuming sugarless coffee can help you burn fat by increasing the body's metabolism. Caffeine has been proven to aid in the fat-burning process and has been shown to increase the metabolic rate by 3 to 11 per cent ^[9] . A study showed the effectiveness of caffeine in the fat-burning process by as much as 10 per cent in obese people and 29 per cent in lean people ^[10] .

3. Improves memory

Another benefit of drinking unsweetened coffee is that it aids in improving memory function by helping the brain stay active. This activates the nerves of the brain and reduces the chances of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Studies have shown that drinking coffee can lower Alzheimer's disease by up to 65 per cent ^[11] , ^[12] .

4. Reduces diabetes risk

Drinking coffee with sugar increases your diabetes risk, especially type 2 diabetes. Some studies have found that people who drink black coffee without sugar have a 23 to 50 per cent lower risk of getting this disease ^[13] , ^[14] , ^[15] . Diabetic people should also avoid sugar-laden coffee as they cannot secrete enough insulin, and drinking coffee with sugar causes the sugar to accumulate in the blood.

5. Lowers the risk of Parkinson's disease

According to professor Achmad Subagio of the Research Institute of the University of Jember, drinking black coffee twice a day prevents the risk of Parkinson's disease because caffeine elevates the dopamine levels in the body. Parkinson's disease affects the brain's nerve cells that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for transmitting signals between the nerve cells of the brain.

So, drinking unsweetened coffee can reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease by 32 to 60 per cent ^[16] , ^[17] .

6. Fights depression

Women who drank more than 4 cups of coffee per day, had a 20 per cent lower risk of becoming depressed. The reason being the caffeine, a natural stimulant which stimulates the central nervous system and increases dopamine levels ^[18] . An increase in dopamine levels removes the symptoms of depression and anxiety ^[19] . And due to this people are less likely to commit suicide^[20] .

7. Eliminates toxins from the liver

Black coffee is also known to clean the liver by eliminating toxins and bacteria from the body through urine. The build-up of toxins in the liver can lead to liver damage. It is also known to prevent liver cirrhosis and lower the risk up to 80 per cent ^[21] , ^[22] . In addition, caffeine is diuretic which makes you want to urinate often.

8. Rich in antioxidants

Coffee is high in antioxidants compared to other fruits and vegetables^[23] . The main source of antioxidants come from the coffee beans and scientists say there are approximately 1,000 antioxidants in the unprocessed coffee beans and during the roasting process, hundreds more develop ^[24] .

9. Makes you smarter

Caffeine is a natural stimulant that works in your brain by blocking the effects of adenosine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter ^[25] . This increases neuronal firing in the brain and releases other neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine which improves mood, reduces stress, increases vigilance and reaction time and general brain function ^[26] .

10. Lowers cancer risk

Black coffee can prevent the risk of liver and colon cancer. Drinking black coffee can reduce the risk of liver cancer by 40 per cent^[27] . Another study also found that people who drank 4-5 cups of coffee per day had a reduced risk of colon cancer by 15 per cent ^[28] . Coffee consumption is also known to reduce the risk of skin cancer.

11. Improves workout performance

Drinking black coffee in the morning increases epinephrine (adrenaline) levels in the blood which in turn boosts your physical performance by 11 to 12 per cent^[29] , ^[30] . This is due to the caffeine content that helps in the breakdown and metabolism the fat to be used as fuel. Caffeine also lowers muscle post-workout.

12. Prevents gout

Gout occurs when there is a build-up of uric acid in the blood. A study found that drinking one to three cups of coffee a day lowered gout risk by 8 per cent, drinking four to five cups lowered gout risk by 40 per cent and drinking six cups a day had a 60 per cent lowered risk ^[31] .

13. Makes DNA strong

According to a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, individuals who drink coffee have a much stronger DNA as it lowered the level of spontaneous DNA strand breaks in white blood cells ^[32] .

14. Protects the teeth

Researchers in Brazil found that black coffee kills the bacteria in the teeth and adding sugar to coffee lowers the benefit. It prevents dental caries and is known to prevent periodontal disease ^[33] .

15. Prevents retinal damage

Another benefit of drinking black coffee is it aids in preventing eyesight damage which occurs due to oxidative stress. The presence of chlorogenic acid (CLA), a strong antioxidant found in the coffee bean, prevents retinal damage^[34] .

16. Increases longevity

According to a study, women who consume coffee had a lower risk of death from heart disease, cancer, etc. Many studies showed that coffee drinks have less risk of premature death from diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart disease ^[35] .

17. Prevents multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that lets the immune system attack the central nervous system. Research shows that drinking four cups of coffee a day may protect one from the occurrence of multiple sclerosis ^[36] .

Side Effects Of Black Coffee

As coffee contains caffeine, overconsumption can cause nervousness, restlessness, insomnia, nausea, stomach upset, increased heart and breathing rate.

How To Make Black Coffee

• In a coffee grinder, grind the fresh coffee beans.
• Boil a cup of water in a kettle.
• Place the strainer on the cup and add the ground coffee into it.
• Pour the boiled water slowly over the ground coffee.
• Remove the strainer and enjoy your black coffee

What Is The Best Time To Drink Black Coffee?

It is recommended to drink black coffee twice a day - once in the morning between 10 am and noon and again between 2 pm and 5 pm.