We hear a lot about the dangers of consuming too much coffee in our food communications these days. Emphasis is placed on disruptions in sleep cycles and the addictive properties of caffeine, but did you know that when drunk in moderation, coffee actually has some health benefits? It's true! If you drink less than four cups a day or if you just drink coffee occasionally when you're feeling tired or going out with a friend, the coffee you drink could be helping to keep you healthy. Here's how:

Promoting Wakefulness

The most obvious benefit of coffee - the one that most people drink it for - is the energy boost you get from the caffeine contained in the coffee. Caffeine stimulates your brain and helps you stay awake - which is important if you're driving home. It also quickens your reaction times, improves your memory, and makes it easier for you to concentrate. This is all great news for people who are having trouble making it through a long day or who are doing a potentially dangerous job.

Prevents Disease
The health benefits of coffee

Believe it or not, coffee contains antioxidants, just like green tea and blueberries, which have the effect of protecting you from developing certain diseases. So while you're sitting at your desk sipping a cup of coffee, you may actually be warding off serious medical conditions like Alzheimer's disease, Type II diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and heart attacks. Therefore, when taken in moderation coffee may actually be extending your life.

Maintaining Weight

When you work fulltime it can be hard to maintain a healthy weight with all that good food lying around. When you get a craving, instead of hitting the food, drink a cup of coffee instead. It will fill you up but will add only two or three calories to your daily intake. If you're going to use coffee to help you lose or maintain your weight, however, it's always best not to load it up with fatty cream or sugar, which is full of empty calories that will go to your waistline.

Getting Vitamins

If you spend most of your day selling art to hotels, you may not have time to eat properly, which means you could be missing out on some important vitamins. One option would be to take a supplement, but you can actually get some of your vitamins from your daily coffee. Coffee contains vitamin B and magnesium, and if you add milk to your cup you're also getting some calcium. There's also a significant amount of fiber in coffee, which helps with digestion. Not bad for a cup of something you thought was bad for you!