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Is Dark Roast Coffee Healthy?
No matter your preference of light roast or dark coffee, both offer many health advantages that might surprise you. Coffee has been proven to reduce risk for Alzheimer’s disease and is rich in antioxidants known to prevent heart disease; furthermore it provides energy and alertness throughout the day; however excessive caffeine consumption can cause problems like anxiety or insomnia.
Dark roast coffee beans are typically roasted longer than other varieties, which gives them their distinctive bitter taste. Their robust flavors often pair perfectly with milk and sugar to create an irresistibly flavorful morning cup of java! But is dark roast healthier than light roast? We’ll explore that further below.
Overall, coffee beans contain equal levels of caffeine no matter the roast. However, different roasts do vary significantly when it comes to impact on stomach acid production and heartburn symptoms. A 2010 study demonstrated this with dark roast coffee being shown to contain chemical compounds that block its production, helping alleviate heartburn symptoms; in comparison with medium roast which causes more stomach acid production leading to more heartburn or other GI issues.
Dark roast coffee offers another benefit of drinking it: it can increase serotonin levels in the brain and improve mood while decreasing depression. This effect occurs thanks to chemicals released by roasted beans that allow our bodies to easily absorb this chemical source compared to natural sources like fruits or vegetables.
Dark roast coffee may help improve blood flow to both the brain and heart by decreasing calcium deposition in arteries due to the release of phenolic compounds during roasting. Research also suggests that drinking three to four cups daily of dark roast can lower risk of heart attack or stroke.
Studies have also demonstrated that people who consume moderate amounts of coffee on a regular basis are at reduced risk of cancer, diabetes and depression. Furthermore, drinking coffee regularly can also protect against DNA damage that leads to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Coffee’s antioxidants may also help reduce inflammation and protect against autoimmune diseases like arthritis and IBS by neutralizing free radicals that damage our bodies. In addition, drinking coffee regularly may boost energy levels and facilitate weight loss. Dark roast coffee has even been linked to increasing fertility for men. Overall, dark roast coffee can be beneficial, though moderation should always be applied – no more than four to five cups should be consumed daily in order to prevent developing high cholesterol and heart disease.