Research has always been a bit contradictory when it comes to coffee. On the one hand it’s reviled for being responsible for mood swings, pre-menstrual retention, upset stomach, jittery nerves, hypertension, fertility problems, migraines and just about every problem; on the other it’s hailed for its antioxidant properties, ability to improve mental focus, mood and reaction time. What’s more, we now learn that it helps fight cancer and slow down memory loss associated with Alzheimer’s disease, etc. So how do you decide whether your daily cup of coffee is good for you or not?

The key factor in determining the difference is the amount and type of coffee you prefer. Anything taken in excess has its set of adverse reactions, moderation is the way to go; a little caffeine can do much good. Given below are some key research facts.

Everyone knows that a cup of coffee in the morning can kick start your day, coffee has been proven to boost mental alertness as it affects specific nerves that boost adrenaline. Caffeine also helps fight cellulite and drinking two cups of coffee daily helps boost the metabolism of the body. Topical anti-cellulite creams usually contain some caffeine as the combination of caffeine in an alcohol-based preparation helps the fat in the cells to release the fatty acid thereby reducing cellulite.

It is also a known fact that caffeine helps asthma sufferers. Research has proven that caffeine helps relax the airways and improves the air flow for up to four hours. Asthma attacks can be reduced by up to 28 per cent in sufferers by consuming three cups of coffee daily, according to research.

Coffee beans are rich in antioxidants and hence are said to lower the risk of various types of cancer. It’s not specifically known how, but evidence shows that coffee drinkers are 50 per cent less likely to contract liver cancer. Antioxidants in coffee beans also help deliver insulin to the tissues in the various parts of the body. Coffee contains a compound known as methylpyridinium that is thought to prevent colon cancer, so a small cup of coffee is likely to make a sizeable, positive impact on your health.

Drinking between one to three cups of coffee is also said to have a good effect on your cardiovascular health. Coffee contains soluble fibre which helps in lowering cholesterol as well as reducing blood pressure as it widens the arteries. Coffee does contain a compound known as cafestol that helps increase LDL levels, but this is found only in the oily faction of the coffee bean; when coffee is filtered, cafestol gets left behind in the paper and the goodness of coffee can be drunk from the remainder in the mug.

Coffee is also said to improve your waistline as it suppresses hunger; not only that, coffee also improves physical endurance and performance. Olympic athletes have a limit on the amount of caffeine they can have in their blood stream. This is due to the fact that research has proven that caffeine can prolong the peak of performance as well as enhance it.

Also, adding cream and sugar not only adds the calories but also reduces the benefits and goodness of coffee. So remember that drinking between one to three cups of coffee is beneficial; any more and the ill effects might overshadow the benefits. Try not to drink coffee at night so that your sleep pattern remains unaffected. Coffee is also a known diuretic so don’t forget to drink water as well or you might wind up dehydrating your body.

The writer is a qualified dietician.