9. Sidestep Stones
Coffee appears to reduce the risk of both gallstones and kidney stones. In a 2002 study, women who drank at least four cups of coffee a day were 25 percent less likely to need surgery for gallstones than nondrinkers were, and an earlier study showed that coffee drinking lowered gallstone risk in men. The caffeine in coffee may discourage gallstone formation by triggering gallbladder contractions and increasing the flow of bile. As for kidney stones, both regular and decaf coffee have been linked to risk reduction, perhaps simply by increasing urine output.
10. Say No to Stroke
In a 2009 study, women who drank four or more cups of coffee a day had a 20 percent lower risk of stroke, compared to those who had less than one cup a month. Coffee’s protective effect was even more pronounced among nonsmokers: For women who had never smoked or had kicked the habit, drinking at least four cups of coffee daily was linked to a 43 percent reduced risk of stroke. As with heart disease, the antioxidants in coffee may offer protection by improving blood vessel function.
By Dan Fields for BeliefNet
