Coffee is a favorite pick-me-up enjoyed by people around the world. It's well known that a cup of coffee can give you energy, but research shows that it may have other health benefits, too.
According to a 2015 article published in Circulation, people who drink 1 to 5 cups of coffee per day may be less likely to die from certain cancers, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and more.
There are two types of stroke. A hemorrhagic stroke happens when there is bleeding in the brain. An ischemic stroke happens when blood flow to the brain is cut off. At least 80% of strokes are ischemic.
Coffee contains over 1,000 different chemical compounds, some of which may reduce your risk of stroke.
Among those compounds are carbohydrates, proteins, oils, and minerals that your body needs to stay healthy, like magnesium and chromium.
These minerals can lower blood sugar and insulin, thus helping protect against diabetes and atherosclerosis.
Coffee is also rich with antioxidants—molecules found in healthy foods that protect your cells from being damaged by free radicals.
Your body produces free radicals when you are exposed to air pollution, cigarette smoke, and other toxins. Over time, free radicals can damage your blood vessels, leading to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
Coffee is a stimulant, which means that it makes your central nervous system more active. This is why drinking it makes you feel energized, alert, and possibly a bit jittery.
some physicians to recommend against drinking coffee, particularly for people who have high blood pressure or an irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia).