Table of contents:
- The content of active ingredients in coffee
- Benefits of drinking coffee for brain health
- 1. Increase focus
- 2. Sharpen memory
- 3. Reducing the risk of brain and nerve diseases
Coffee is included in the list of popular drinks for all circles. This drink can be available in various variations and can be served warm or cold. One of the benefits of drinking coffee, which is commonly known as a drowsiness repellent. However, that was not all. Drinking coffee actually has a good impact on your brain health. Are you curious about the benefits?
The content of active ingredients in coffee
Coffee contains hundreds of bioactive compounds that can maintain the health of your body, including the brain. Well, most of these compounds are antioxidants that can fight free radical damage in cells. Some of the active ingredients in healthy coffee include:
- Caffeine.Psychoactive substances that can stimulate the central nervous system.
- Chlorogenic acid (CGA). Polyphenol antioxidants that play a role in blood sugar metabolism and regulating high blood pressure.
- Cafestol and kahweol.Coffee's natural oil is good for the liver and protects the body's cells to stay healthy.
- Trigonelline.Alkaloid compounds that play a role in the processing of nicotinic acid (vitamin B3), prevent cavities, and inhibit bacterial growth.
The amount of each substance in coffee varies widely, depending on the type of coffee beans, how the coffee beans are processed, and how much you drink coffee.
Benefits of drinking coffee for brain health
You will get the benefits of drinking coffee if the intake is appropriate, drink it at the right time, and the choice of quality coffee. Some of the benefits of drinking coffee on brain health that you may get, include:
1. Increase focus
According to a study, the caffeine content in coffee can affect brain function. Caffeine carried by the bloodstream interacts with adenosine receptors and stimulates the production of serotonin, dopamine, and nonadrenaline. These three compounds make you more alert and focused, which makes the thinking process more efficient.
All three of these compounds also help improve mood.
2. Sharpen memory
Apart from making you more alert, caffeine can also improve memory sharpness. Without telling the brain to remember something, caffeine can stimulate the brain to remember things that may have been forgotten.
However, if too much is consumed, caffeine can also result in inaccurate memories.
Memory improvement due to caffeine in the brain tends to be more common in people who rarely drink coffee.
3. Reducing the risk of brain and nerve diseases
Just like other parts of the body, the brain will also experience a decline in function. Various diseases can also attack your brain, one of which is dementia and Alzheimer's. The disease causes memory and thinking skills to deteriorate as well as changes in behavior in carrying out daily activities.
The risk of both of these diseases continues to increase with age. However, the progression of the disease can be slowed down by drinking coffee. Researchers believe that the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds in coffee can reduce inflammation in brain cells.
Apart from dementia and Alzeheimer, the caffeine content in coffee is also believed to help prevent Parkinson's disease. This disease indicates that the nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine are damaged or die. As a result, body movements will be disturbed and cause tremors in the body.
