Coffee is the drink of choice for many Americans first thing in the morning. In fact, many Americans find that the scent of coffee alone can get at least one eye opened, even on Monday mornings. If you are one of the estimated 54% of Americans that wake up to a nice hot cup of coffee each and every morning or rather fail to wake up until you’ve had a nice steaming cup, you will be glad to know that you are actually starting off your day the healthy way. Coffee, it seems is good for your health.

Coffee is a drink that has been accused of all kinds of evils. Of course, anything done in excess can have negative health benefits loot at eating. We must eat to live yet eating in excess leads to weight gain, obesity, and many other negative health risks. Along the same lines, coffee can have positive overall effects in lowering the risks of liver and colon cancers, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease when consumed in moderation.

Coffee is known to help prevent type 2 diabetes because it lowers insulin sensitivity. If you are in a high risk group for developing type 2 diabetes, you may wish to consult with your doctor about whether or not increasing your coffee consumption may help you lower your risk factor. Of course you need to be certain that increased coffee consumption doesn’t negatively impact your health in other areas. The primary health benefit of coffee remains its level of antioxidants.

In fact, coffee is the number one source of antioxidant consumption in America today. While it isn’t the food that is highest in antioxidant content, it is the primary source of antioxidants for many American consumers. Antioxidants are important because they help protect your body from free radicals, which can lead to cellular mutations. Antioxidants are also known to lower the risk of heart disease, which is currently the leading cause of death in America.

The caffeine in coffee has been known to ease headaches and has also been credit for reducing asthma attacks as a direct result of the improved circulation within the heart. Despite all the benefits of drinking coffee that seem to have been discovered recently, there are still serious side effects to drinking too much coffee the least of which would be jitters. Some of the more serious side effects are high blood pressure and stomach ulcers.

Keep in mind that while there are risks involved in consuming too much coffee, there are also great benefits to be had by drinking one or two cups each morning. Vegetables and fruits that are rich in color are still the best source for antioxidants, but coffee remains the most often consumed source of antioxidants in America followed closely behind by tea. So drink a cup of coffee to your health and that of those you love. I bet you never knew it could be this easy to do something so good for your heart.