Coffee contains several substances that are considered to improve everything from brain function to physical performance. A search for "coffee" in the database of scientific literature, PubMed, shows that the number of studies on the subject almost has tripled since 2000. It is a partly new picture of coffee that is beginning to emerge and it’s very exciting!
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1. Mental Performance
Coffee is not only refreshing, studies now show that it also seems to make you smarter. (1, 2) This is by caffeine's stimulating effect that helps you focus on tedious and repetitive tasks, even when you are rested. Caffeine has also been shown to improve short-term memory, in doses corresponding to about two cups of coffee (4, 5). Recent research also shows that long-term memory can be enhanced by caffeine (6). Drinking coffee before an important task could therefore help you do even better.
2. Antioxidants
Coffee is rich in beneficial antioxidants and for Americans, coffee is the greatest source of it (7). Even in a survey of Norwegian food habits, coffee proved to be one of the most important sources of antioxidants (8). Some of the most potent antioxidants in coffee are the so-called polyphenols (9). Research also shows that roasting further increases the total antioxidant impact of the coffee bean (10).
3. Fat Loss
Caffeine can increase the bodies heat production and fat burning (11). But although caffeine increases your metabolism in the short term, in the long term your body develops a tolerance for continuous coffee drinking (12). If you are primarily interested in coffee due to fat loss it may be best to sometimes pause your coffee intake to prevent tolerance, maybe two weeks on and two weeks without.
4. Enhancing performance of physical activity
Caffeine has been shown to provide improved performance during exercise (13, 14) when taken before a workout. Try yourself and measure your results both with and without coffee. For maximum effect from the coffee, make a Bulletproof Coffee where the mixture of MCT oil and butter will take your performance to a new level.
/Christine Ribbing
Referenser:
1) The effect of caffeine on working memory load-related brain activation in middle-aged males. Klaassen EB, de Groot RH, Evers EA, Snel J, Veerman EC, Ligtenberg AJ, Jolles J, Veltman DJ. Neuropharmacology. 2013 Jan;64:160-7. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2012.06.026. Epub 2012 Jun 21.
2) Ruxton CHS. The impact of caffeine on mood, cognitive function, performance and hydration: a review of benefits and risks. Nutr Bull. 2008.
3) Caffeine-Not just a stimulant. Glade MJ. Nutrition. 2010 Oct;26(10):932-8. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2010.08.004. Review.
4) http://rsna2005.rsna.org/rsna2005/V2005/conference/event_display.cfm?em_id=4418422
5) http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/01/11/caffeine.smarter/
6) http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/kaffe-forbattrar-minnet_8884728.svd
7) http://www.physorg.com/news6067.html
8) Food items contributing most to variation in antioxidant intake; a cross-sectional study among Norwegian women. Qureshi SA, Lund AC, Veierød MB, Carlsen MH, Blomhoff R, Andersen LF, Ursin G. BMC Public Health. 2014 Jan 16;14:45. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-45.
9) Identification of the 100 richest dietary sources of polyphenols: an application of the Phenol-Explorer database. Pérez-Jiménez J, Neveu V, Vos F, Scalbert A. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Nov;64 Suppl 3:S112-20. doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2010.221.
10) Y. Liu, D.D. Kitts, Confirmation that the Maillard reaction is the principle contributor to the antioxidant capacity of coffee brews. Food Res. Int., 2011.
11) Thermogenic ingredients and body weight regulation. Hursel R, Westerterp-Plantenga MS. Int J Obes (Lond). 2010 Apr;34(4):659-69. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2009.299. Epub 2010 Feb 9. Review.
12) Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modeling of caffeine: tolerance to pressor effects. Shi J, Benowitz NL, Denaro CP, Sheiner LB. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1993 Jan;53(1):6-14.
13) Effect of repeated caffeine ingestion on repeated exhaustive exercise endurance. Bell DG, McLellan TM. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003 Aug;35(8):1348-54
14) The effect of caffeine as an ergogenic aid in anaerobic exercise. Woolf K, Bidwell WK, Carlson AG. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2008 Aug;18(4):412-29.
