There's nothing like waking up in the morning to a steaming cup of coffee, is there? For some, a cup ofcoffee along with the news paper is a mandatory morning ritual. Needless to say, millions of people around the world are hooked to coffee — whether it is the first thing that they have in the morning or the last thing that they do before going to bed.
Contrary to popular belief, experts insist that coffee is indeed good for health. It is known to be a powerful stimulant and also helps to improve performance in physical and mental activities. It also serves as an energy booster. "I drink a lot of coffee as I study late into the night. This helps me concentrate on my work and keeps me awake, especially before an important exam," says student Uma S, a self-professed coffee freak.
Skin deep
Coffee can keep your skin healthy in many different ways. Other than preventing skin cancer and melanoma-related diseases, coffee has antioxidant ingredients that can help reduce the occurrence of skin problems and diseases in general. Coffee gets rid of free radicals in the skin — which reduces the onset of skin-related problems such as acne and eczema. It further acts as an effective sun block and prevents sunburn and wrinkles. It also helps in treating redness and inflammation of the skin, reduces the appearance of under-eye circles and also helps get rid of cellulite.
Organic speak
Coffee can be cultivated using organic methods too. The coffee plant is grown in the shade with the help of natural soil organisms to sustain its growth. Thus, the valuable nutrients needed to preserve coffee beans are retained, adding to their health quotient. Additionally, organic coffee is produced without the use of pesticides and other chemicals.
Benefits galore
Coffee made with organic beans contains numerous health benefits. In addition to working as a stimulant, it can be used to control diseases such as asthma. It has also been proved that coffee reduces the risk of colon cancer. Organic coffee is said to contain large amounts of antioxidants as well. "Using organic coffee beans is better than using the normal ones because they are healthier and do not contain any harmful chemicals. They also taste great, since they are high on flavour," says Unnamali Thiyagarajan, an expert on organic coffee.
All said and done, too much of a good thing can sometimes prove to be bad. Coffee can also react adversely, if consumed in excess. "One must drink only two to three cups of coffee a day. Too much of anything is not good for health," advises Unnamalai, on a parting note. TNN(Contributed by Monisha V)