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By Lauren Scott, Arizona Farm Bureau Intern

Most people I know must have their morning cup of coffee. Sometimes they will even have two or three cup. I prefer tea, but because I am surrounded by coffee drinkers, it got me thinking: How healthy is a cup of coffee? I’ve heard before that coffee isn’t all that bad for you, but I decided to look into it.

First of all, all that extra creamer that you are adding to your coffee adds calories. Additionally, whether you go through the Starbucks drive-thru or make your own coffee at home, the extra sugar you’re adding to your diet is no good. If you can tolerate it, drink your coffee black; but if you need a little something mixed into it, opt for skim milk, coconut milk, or almond milk. You can also add a bit of cinnamon or cardamom to your morning brew to give it a nice flavor.

Now on to coffee’s benefits. (And this is speaking to coffee straight up!)

• According to WebMD, coffee is a known burner of fat. Caffeine, which there is a lot of in coffee, helps to raise your metabolism. So drink that morning cup to help boost your metabolism for the day ahead.
• Coffee has a TON of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals in it, says Medical News Today. It contains riboflavin, a B vitamin, which helps to metabolize fats and helps to convert carbohydrates into glucose. Coffee also contains lots of potassium and manganese.
• Coffee has been found to reduce the likelihood of getting type 2 diabetes. It has also been found to reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, which can be more likely in those with type 2 diabetes. It is coffee’s antioxidants and minerals that make drinkers less likely to get type 2 diabetes as well as the other afflictions.
• Coffee has been tied to the decreased risk of Parkinson’s disease, liver cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease, as well, and the effects of coffee on all three are still being studied.

It looks like a few cups of morning coffee are more beneficial to your health than you previously thought! So have a cup or two tomorrow morning, but remember to cut down on the sugar you usually add, it takes away all the healthful benefits!