Ello everyone! The next stop on our summer adventure is the lovely town of London. Yes, we're moving right along. Our stay in London is the longest stop we make during our month of travels; from here on, it'll be pretty fast-paced. Boy are we excited... And a little uncertain of what we're getting ourselves into (language barrier issues are likely to present)!
Any who, transitioning on to the topic of this article. As I'm sure you've guessed (by my artsy insta pic: @twentyfitandfab), this article is all about one of the greatest creations, coffee. Everywhere we turn in London, there's a coffee café... And let me tell you, the English certainly know how to brew a solid cup of coffee. They aren't bad at creating latte art too, making me have to have at least one a day. Girls gotta get her latte on! After daily, morning coffees, I decided it was time to do a little research on the benefits of coffee (hoping that there were a few). Turns out, there's more than plenty... Drink on!
Here's what I found:
Coffee has caffeine. Caffeine acts as a stimulant that gives you, your brain and metabolism an extra boost of energy! That's right -- about two, strong cups of coffee contain 250 milligrams of caffeine. This caffeine not only speeds up the respiratory rate, but also blocks the chemical in the brain used to signal sleep, adenosine. Therefore, coffee perks us up, making us more alert and focused to get some work done (or extreme Pinteresting)!
As far as increasing metabolism goes, studies have proven caffeine to increase the resting metabolic rate by 3 to 11 percent. Most of this increase is a result of fat burning, pretty cool, right?! What I gathered is that the stimulant affects the nervous system by signaling to the fat cells in the body. These signals alert the cells, telling them to break-down and release into the blood. Voilà, a slightly increased metabolism and a yummy pick-me-up in one!
Multiple sources claim coffee as having "the highest amount of antioxidants." Whether that's true or not, there's definitely a rich source of antioxidants crammed into your morning cup. Antioxidants are nutrients in the body that assist the immune system; they kill any free radicals floating throughout your body. WebMD sums up all of coffee's disease-fighting capabilities by stating that it may "reduce cavities, boost athletic performance, improve moods, and stop headaches -- not to mention reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, liver cancer, gall stones, cirrhosis of the liver, and Parkinson's diseases." Seemingly, coffee is the cure-all! To read more about the disease-fighting characteristics about coffee, check out the websites listed below.
Lastly, coffee is low-cal and scrumptious. A cup of black coffee only contains around two calories. That's nothing! Unfortunately, I (and I'm sure many others) prefer to add a little something to mask the strong taste -- a small sprinkle of raw sugar and a dash of skim milk is my favorite way to add some flavor without making it unhealthy. Cream and sugar definitely add to the amount of calories in your morning cup(s), but moderation is always key!
If you're not already sipping on a warm cup while you read, I hope this article inspired you to brew a pot of coffee and enjoy the day! Xo
Sources:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270202.php
http://www.m.webmd.com/diet/features/the-buzz-on-coffee
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