Health benefits of coffee - like you needed an excuse

Anyone who knows me knows how much I LOVE coffee. I even have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to coffee! I tend to go a little overboard and drink too much, but fortunately there are actually some health benefits to drinking coffee:

Studies show that coffee drinkers have lower rates of diabetes, Parkinson's disease and liver disease.
It contains loads of antioxidants.
In moderation, coffee has been shown to lower the risk of heart rhythm disturbances - in turn lowering the risk of stroke.
It even lowers the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's: According to WebMD, "A 2009 study from Finland and Sweden showed that, out of 1,400 people followed for about 20 years, those who reported drinking 3-5 cups of coffee daily were 65% less likely to develop dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, compared with nondrinkers or occasional coffee drinkers."

Keep in mind that moderation is key: too much coffee can cause adverse effects like insomnia, irritability, headaches, increased heart rate, indigestion and other issues. A cup or two a day will allow you to reap the benefits without the yucky side effects.

What about coffee during pregnancy? Women are advised to limit caffeine during pregnancy, but a little coffee is okay. Both the March of Dimes and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists advise women to keep their caffeine consumption under 200mg per day, which is the amount found in about 12 ounces of coffee. Keep in mind that there's also caffeine in chocolate, tea, sodas and some pain relievers. Even decaf has a little caffeine!

I'm pretty wishy-washy about my coffee, but my current obsession is adding brown sugar (super healthy, I know!) and frothy milk! How do you drink your coffee?

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