There’s nothing quite as refreshing as enjoying that first cup of coffee in the morning – it instantly transforms you from being an unproductive mess into a productive machine! Our worldwide addiction has made coffee one of the world’s most consumed beverages with consumption reaching record heights. But is coffee healthy? Unfortunately not if consumed regularly as is; but prepared properly it can actually be an extremely nutritious beverage option.

For optimal health benefits, choose beans from sustainable farms that have been ground fresh before brewing your cup. This way, air won’t have the chance to cause oxidation that degrades flavor or reduces healthy compounds found within. This is particularly important when making espresso, which requires very fine grinding to extract maximum polyphenols from beans. In addition, opt for light roasts since this will preserve caffeine without overexposure to oxidation and degradation.

As for how many cups per day can be beneficial to heart disease risk factors, studies have demonstrated that drinking up to three cups daily can have positive results for blood pressure and cholesterol levels. A UK BioBank database study with over 468,629 participants who had no signs of cardiovascular disease at the start revealed moderate coffee drinkers had a 21% lower risk of developing artery blockages and strokes along with 17% reduced chances of cardiovascular causes over its course – these benefits held true regardless of whether participants consumed ground, instant or decaf coffee as the benefits were comparable regardless.

Studies have also demonstrated the positive benefits of coffee on reducing risk factors for Type II diabetes, certain cancers and depression. Further evidence shows possible links to Parkinson’s disease prevention via its antioxidant content; although its beneficial properties seem mainly related to this fact.

Researchers still are unsure of the precise mechanism that causes coffee’s beneficial effects, but researchers suspect that its mechanisms include antioxidants present in coffee’s antioxidant content helping reduce oxidative stress and boost metabolism, plus its positive mental performance effects.

If you want to maximize the health benefits of your coffee drink, avoid adding any sweeteners or milk with added calories and fat content, such as artificial sweeteners or flavors. Instead, use grass-fed butter in lieu of regular dairy or creamer and adhere to the American Heart Association’s recommendation of only one teaspoon of added sugar per cup.