Go Joe

Plenty of us consider coffee a “life saver” in the mornings. But this bold beverage does more than just put some pep in our step. Coffee actually provides some serious health benefits. So go ahead and enjoy another cup of joe. It’ll do your body good.

Anti-Alzheimer’s. A study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in June 2012 showed that older people who were already experiencing some mild cognitive impairment and drank three cups of coffee a day were far less likely for the impairment to progress to Alzheimer’s.

Leave diabetes in the dust. Numerous studies have proven that coffee drinkers have less risk for developing type 2 diabetes, which is the most prevalent and preventable type of the disease. If you drink four cups of coffee a day, you lower your chances of becoming a diabetic by a whopping 50 percent.

Skin saver. Coffee Coffee consumption has also been shown to lower your risk of skin cancer. Researchers believe the link here is the caffeine, so tea can also be beneficial.

Blues buster. We know coffee gives us a shot of energy, but a study done by the Harvard School of Public Health suggests it can also keep depression at bay, at least in some people. The study found that women who drank four cups of coffee a day were 20 percent less likely to develop depression. A newer study, just released this January by the American Academy of Neurology, also shows a link between coffee consumption and lowered risk of depression.

Moderation matters. If you’re downing more than six cups of coffee each day, you’re probably drinking too much. The anxiety, irritability, sleeplessness and increased risk of cardiovascular problems that can be caused by that much caffeine outweigh any benefits.

Hold the sugar. Stirring several teaspoons of sugar and cream into your coffee every day can also turn it from a pro to a con. The fat and calories add up quickly, so try to ditch the add-ons and go completely black.