It surprises many people to learn that coffee has many health benefits. Sure, caffeine can help us to stay awake, but did you know coffee can help to boost the immune system? The health benefits of coffee are far too often ignored, and we should consider why we should add coffee to our daily diet instead of avoiding it.
Quick Facts About the Immune System
Almost 99 percent of the immune system lives in our intestines. Most of the time, the immune system ticks along happily, but every so often it is challenged. That is when it needs to spring into action and go to work.
Our immune system consists of bacteria and microbes which work together to maintain and improve our immune health. Not everything that we put into our bodies is recognized by the immune system, but natural compounds such as coffee and tea are thought of as friends and not foe.
In fact, coffee can help to stimulate the growth of some of the many helpful bacteria which live in the intestines and this is one of the reasons coffee for the immune system should be considered a health benefit. People who drink more coffee than others seem to have a lower risk of inflammatory disease. This can only be attributed directly to the immune system.
Bowel Disease and Coffee
If our immune system is challenged too often, conditions such as Crohn's disease may occur. It is interesting to note that residents of coffee loving countries such as Sweden have a lower rate of bowel disease. Swedes love their coffee and often drink as many as 8 cups per day. As a matter of fact, sitting down at a table without a cup of coffee is unheard of in Sweden.
Coffee does not only stimulate the growth of certain bacteria known as sweeper bacteria, but it also increases bowel movement. This means the immune system is able to get rid of waste products faster, and this is thought to lead to a healthier immune system.
How Often Should I Drink Coffee to Boost My Immune System?
Swedish doctors are great believers in coffee, and they would tell you that 8 cups of coffee per day is perfectly okay. The inhabitants of this serious coffee nation start their morning with a couple of cups of coffee, and then they enjoy what is known as "fika" at around 11 am and again in the afternoon.
Fika is the ultimate immune system boost. Not only do the Swedes go for a "fika" at least twice a day, but they also eat full grain bread with their "fika". The coffee helps to carry and break down the grains found in the bread releasing oils which further help to boost the immune system. The perfect reason to make a coffee break a priority!
Drinking coffee for immune system health in Sweden is a pleasure and never a chore. Maybe we should all learn how to enjoy the health benefits of a Swedish style coffee break.