Drinking Coffee Helps You Live Longer

I never would've figured this out. Coffee is one of the healthiest beverages on the planet.

It's more than just dark-colored liquid with caffeine............coffee actually contains hundreds of different compounds, some of which have important health benefits. Several massive studies have now shown that the people who drink the most coffee live longer and have a reduced risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s and diabetes.

When hot water runs through the coffee grounds while brewing, the substances in the coffee beans mix with the water and become part of the drink. Some of these substances are well known, including caffeine, but there are hundreds of other compounds in there as well, many of which science has yet to identify. Many of these compounds are antioxidants that protect our bodies from oxidation, which involves free radicals that damage molecules in the body. Oxidation is believed to be one of the mechanisms behind aging and common diseases like cancer and heart disease.

Coffee -- believe it or not -- is the biggest source of antioxidants, outranking both fruits and vegetables combined.

There are several studies showing that when people drink coffee, they have a lower risk of dying from a range of serious diseases. There are also studies from Harvard showing that coffee may make you happier, reducing the risk of depression by by 20% and the risk of suicide by 53%.

When you’re giving Caribou or Starbucks that $5 today, remember that you're not just getting your caffeine fix. No wonder they charge so much.

Taken from Authority Nutrition.