Now, we’re sure you have all heard both horror stories and songs of praise when it comes to coffee, so much so, that sometimes it’s difficult to know which article or piece of advice to listen to. Here at Hip and Healthy we are all about balance and everything in moderation, and yes, that sometimes means the occasional cup of coffee! By no means are we telling you to rush to starbucks to load up on an extra hot, skinny, double-shot macchiato with syrup, but a cup of good quality home-brewed coffee is known to have several benefits which we have listed below.

Caffeine can drastically improve physical performance and promote fat-loss
Caffeine has been proven to stimulate the nervous system, whilst increasing Epinephrine (Adrenaline). Epinephrine is responsible for kickstarting our ‘fight or flight’ hormones which help prepare our bodies for intense physical exertion. Caffeine also helps our bodies break down fat, releasing them into the blood as free fatty acids, making them available as fuel and increasing physical performance by 11-12%, on average. Coffee has also been said to help boost your metabolism and aid fat-loss by as much as 10% in obese individuals and 29% in healthy individuals. So, if your going to have a cup of coffee a day, then we highly recommend you have one around half an hour before hitting the gym hard!

There are essential nutrients in coffee
Now, there is a reason why we advise you to only buy organic, good quality coffee, and it’s not to shrink your wallet! In over processed, freeze-dried coffee, the majority of coffee’s antioxidants and nutrients get lost. However, a single cup of organic coffee such as BulletProof Coffee (more on that later!) contains:

• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2): 11% of the RDA.
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5): 6% of the RDA.
• Manganese and Potassium: 3% of the RDA.
• Magnesium and Niacin (B3): 2% of the RDA.

Coffee may lower your risk of type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a massive health problem, currently effecting around 300 million people worldwide. It is characterised by elevated blood sugars in the context of insulin resistance or an inability to secrete insulin. Preliminary research has discovered coffee drinkers have a significantly reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The studies show that people who drink coffee in moderation, have a 23-50% lower risk of getting this disease, one study showing a reduction as high as 67%

According to a review that looked at data from 18 studies with a total of 457,922 individuals, each daily cup of coffee was associated with a 7% reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Pretty amazing!

Coffee may protect you from alzheimer’s, parkinson’s and dementia
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia worldwide, usually affecting people over 65 years of age. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Alzheimer’s.

However, there are several preventative measures you can take. Obviously, remaining active and adopting a healthy lifestyle and eating habits will go a long way to ensure your health, however, several studies show that coffee drinkers have up to a 65% lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, right after Alzheimer’s. It is caused by the loss of dopamine-generating neurons in the brain. Similar to Alzheimer’s, there is no known cure, and prevention is the only form of safeguarding ourselves. In studies, coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of developing Parkinson’s disease, with a reduction in risk ranging from 32-60%. In this case, it appears to be the caffeine itself that is causing the effect. People who drink decaf don’t have a lower risk of Parkinson’s.

Coffee can have protective effects on the liver
The liver is an amazing organ that carries out hundreds of important functions in the body, including helping to detoxify your body. Several common diseases primarily affect the liver, including hepatitis, fatty liver disease and others. Many of these diseases can lead to a condition called cirrhosis, in which the liver has been largely replaced by scar tissue. It turns out that coffee may protect against cirrhosis. People who regularly drink coffee, may have up to an 80% lower risk.

Coffee may help fight depression and make you happier
Depression is a serious mental disorder that causes a significantly reduced quality of life, around 70 million days of work are lost each year due to mental health problems and astonishingly 1 in 4 people are affected.

In a Harvard study published in 2011, women who had a higher intake of coffee per day had a 20% lower risk of becoming depressed. Another study with 208,424 individuals found that those who drank a higher intake of coffee per day were 53% less likely to commit suicide .

Despite all the benefits, it is of course essential to ensure that you control your coffee intake and ensure that you drink good quality coffee. As with most thing’s in life; take everything moderation.

A new type of coffee which has landed on the block is BulletProof Coffee, which promises to help energise, aid fat loss, increase mental clarity, whilst minimising the negative jitters and side effects from coffee. Hey, if it’s good enough for David Beckham, then it’s good enough for us!

Bulletproof Coach Training
This Summer, BulletProof Coffee will be launching their UK Bulletproof Coach Training Programme which kicks off in London.

The innovative program is perfect for those passionate about changing their lives and changing the lives of others. The programme will provide all students with the necessary skills needed to upgrade their career potential. The course incorporates cutting-edge discoveries from the worlds of neuroscience, performance coaching, nutrition science, biohacking, positive psychology, brain fitness and resilience training, with the extensive personal and professional experience of both Dave Asprey, founder of Bulletproof and the course leader, Bulletproof Medical Director and internationally renowned human potential development expert, Dr Mark Atkinson MBBS. It’s a course coffee lovers and health bunnies won’t want to miss! Sign up here!