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Over the past few years, coffee has become increasingly popular, especially in the United States. Many people love this hot beverage for the taste and caffeine kick, but most probably don’t know about its health benefits! Coffee can improve both your health and your athletic performance. Keep reading to find out how coffee can fit into a healthy lifestyle.

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What are the Benefits of Drinking Coffee?

Similarly to green tea, coffee is packed with antioxidants, but those antioxidants have also been seen to be more readily absorbed by the human body than those which come from fruit and veg! Coffee can also help to boost athletic performance when it is drank before a workout, in a similar way that pre workout supplements do. Studies have also shown that coffee can help to reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease.

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What’s the Best Coffee to Drink?

There are a lot of choices when it comes to different types of coffee. If you’re on a low calorie diet, I would recommend either an espresso or black filter coffee without milk or sugar. For anyone else, the main thing to avoid is any added sugars or syrups, a small amount of whole milk or cream won’t be too much of an issue so enjoy a Latte or Cappuccino!

Of course the quality of the coffee you are drinking will effect the health benefits. Instant coffee will have less antioxidants than fresh coffee and may also contain more harmful chemicals such as acrylamide, which has been shown to cause cancer in animals. Organic coffee is also likely to be of a higher quality but will come at an increased cost.

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What About Caffeine?

As with anything, moderation is key. Overdosing on caffeine can lead to a number of side effects including insomnia, restlessness , vomiting and even cardiac arrest! To avoid overdosing of caffeine, stay below the recommended daily allowance of 250-500mg per day which equates to about 2-5 cups.

If you are worried about taking in too much caffeine you can always go for a decaf. Be wary though, the processing involved can strip out some of the antioxidants and some decaffeination processes use harmful solvents which can end up in your mug!

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Summary

Coffee can be a healthy choice as far as hot drinks go. Try to avoid coffees loaded with sugar and choose the highest quality of coffee that you can afford.