Doctor's Orders: Drink Your Coffee

Good news for coffee drinkers. Cardiologist James O'Keefe reviewed the largest studies on coffee and reports that it is "one of the most widely consumed pharmacologically active beverages across the world."

The caffeine in coffee boosts metabolism and aids in moderate weight reduction, along with the prevention or delay of type 2 diabetes. Coffee's chlorogenic acid is responsible for improving glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity (which means lower blood sugar levels) and decreases the risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

Robert J. Davis, editor of everwell.com and author of "Coffee is Good for You" explains, "In the case of coffee, enough big studies over several decades make the healthy claims believable," adding that coffee is high in antioxidants.

Coffee also makes you happy. Authors of a recent study of more than 50,000 women concluded that the risk of depression decreased with an increase in caffeinated coffee drinking.

Drink in moderation and don't overload on the cream and sugar. Go ahead and brew your cup of prevention.

Click here for more health benefits of coffee.

The Daily Byte is a regular column dedicated to covering interesting food news and trends across the country. Click here for previous columns.