Coffee n its Many Health Benefits

Coffee's Surprising Health Benefits
The humble coffee bean boasts plenty of health benefits -- and boosts the flavor of our chili recipe!
By Andrea Gabrick
WebMD the Magazine - FeatureReviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LDLegend has it that coffee was discovered around 850 A.D. in Ethiopia by a goatherd who observed that his animals were unusually lively after eating bright-red berries. Inside those berries were the coffee beans that later went on a global journey. Now, with more than 400 billion cups consumed every year, coffee is the world’s most popular beverage. Coffee has been studied for more than a century and claims a number of health benefits (as well as some risks). Your daily cup of joe may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and more. It also packs a powerful punch of antioxidants. In fact, Americans get more antioxidants from coffee than from any other food or beverage. (Want other good sources of antioxidants? You can get your fill of these immune-boosting natural nutrients from artichokes, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, and potatoes.)