5 Health Benefits and Side Effects of Black Coffee You Must Know About

You’ve had a long, busy day; you reach home to have a good night’s sleep, and your boss calls saying you need to start working on a project right away. You are looking for something that’ll boost up your spirits and help you sail through the night. What’s the first thing you think of? Black coffee, of course. A fresh hot pot of black coffee helps to unclog the brain and increase productivity. Same goes for freshening up in the morning. Nothing wakes you up like a nice cup of black coffee. Coffee, in fact, has been one of the most go-to beverages for millions of people around the world. Black coffee is nothing but coffee brewed without any additives like milk, sugar, or any other flavors.

Health Benefits of Black Coffee

Black coffee is more than just a refreshing beverage, it has many proven health benefits. Coffee, in general, has been proven to be good for the human body in many different ways. The ever-growing nature of the global coffee market is mainly attributed to this fact. Some of the health benefits of black coffee are given here:

1. Helps in improving cardiovascular health

Black coffee consumption, initially, increases the heart rate, thereby causing an increase in blood pressure. But this effect is temporary. In the long run, it helps in strengthening heart muscles which, in turn, helps in improving the overall cardiac health.

2. Reduces risk of cancer

Though medical experts are yet to find the direct reason behind it, regular consumption of black coffee helps in tackling of oral, prostate, breast, colorectal, and liver cancer. Many researchers opine that the high number of antioxidants present in black coffee may be the reason behind this.

3. Helps in boosting the memory

It is a proven fact that black coffee helps in improving brain health as it stimulates brain cells by activating nerve cells. As a result, the possibility of incidence of diseases like Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkinson’s, etc. reduces.

4. Reduction in the risk of diabetes

Since black coffee is devoid of any sugar, it helps in regulating body glucose and blood sugar levels. Additionally, coffee is known to boost insulin levels in the body. Both these factors ultimately help in keeping a check on diabetes.

5. Helps in maintaining a healthy urinary system

Coffee, especially black coffee, acts as a diuretic agent. As a result, regular consumption of black coffee causes regular flushing out of toxic materials from the system. This helps in maintaining a healthy urinary tract as well as a healthy stomach and intestines.

Side Effects of Black Coffee

Just like every other thing, black coffee has its own set of side effects. These side effects are generally caused on account of over consumption of black coffee. Some of the side effects are given here:

1. Increase in stress and anxiety

Over consumption of black coffee may result in release of stress hormones in large amount, leading to increase in nervousness and stress. In some cases, it may also lead to anxiety attacks.

2. Increased chances of sleep disorders

Coffee naturally stimulates brain cells, causing a loss of sleep. Frequent consumption of black coffee can, hence, result in disruptions in body’s sleep cycle and in extreme cases cause sleep disorders.

3. Increase in stomach disorders

Coffee is acidic in nature and contains large amounts of caffeine. Excessive consumption of black coffee can lead to acidity, constipation, and may even cause heartburns.

4. High Blood Pressure

For some people, the increased heart rate after drinking black coffee isn’t a temporary effect. For such people, excessive consumption of black coffee can cause an overall increase the heart rate and blood pressure.

5. Increase in problems associated with bladder control

Coffee being diuretic causes frequent urination. Regular consumption of black coffee can worsen this condition, leading bladder control problems.

The Bottom Line

Black coffee is to human body, what oil is to an automobile engine- a fuel. Apart from the benefits mentioned above, black coffee can also help in regulating body fats, thus, helping in weight loss. Black coffee also enhances liver health and improving the metabolism of the body. However, its excessive consumption should be avoided at all costs.

About the Author(s)

Akhilesh Prabhugaonkar

Akhilesh Prabhugaonkar holds a bachelor’s degree in Electronics Engineering from the reputed Vishwakarma Institute of Technology. He has a special interest in the field of forensics, world history, international relations and foreign policy, sports, agriculture, astronomy, security and oceanography. An ardent bibliophile and melophile, Akhilesh loves to write on topics of his interest and various other societal issues. This love for writing made him enter the professional world of content writing and pursue his career in this direction.