Coffee is likely one of the most common beverages to start the day with, and according to Dr Saurabh Sethi, a California-based gastroenterologist trained in AIIMS, Harvard, and Stanford Universities, it has significant health benefits as well.
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The caffeine boost that one gets from drinking coffee helps wake them up or provides the energy boost they need to get through the day. But more importantly for Dr Sethi, the drink also improves liver health with regular consumption.
He went on to share five reasons why he recommends drinking coffee every day. They are presented as follows.
1. Coffee supports liver health.
In the words of the gastroenterologist, “Coffee is one of the best drinks for supporting liver health. Studies show regular coffee drinkers can have up to a 44 percent lower risk of liver cirrhosis.”
Liver cirrhosis is the late stage of liver disease, often caused by chronic conditions such as hepatitis, fatty liver disease, and alcohol abuse, where there is permanent scarring of the organ tissue.
2. Coffee helps improve liver enzyme levels
According to Dr Sethi, coffee can help improve the levels of liver enzymes such as ALT (alanine aminotransferase) and AST (aspartate aminotransferase), which are measured as a marker of liver health.
“Consistent coffee intake has been linked to lower ALT and AST levels – key markers of liver function,” he noted.
3. Coffee helps fight against fatty liver disease
Coffee is especially beneficial in keeping non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) at bay. As per Dr Sethi, “NAFLD now affects around one in three adults, and coffee is one of the few drinks with strong, consistent clinical evidence behind it.”
4. One can drink multiple cups of coffee in a day
If one likes to drink coffee, there is no need to limit oneself to just one cup a day. According to Dr Sethi, drinking two to three cups per day seems to be the ideal range. “A major meta-analysis of more than 400,000 patients found that two to three cups daily offered the strongest liver-protective benefits,” he shared.
5. Both regular and decaf coffee offer health benefits
Not everyone is equally comfortable with consuming caffeine, but Dr Sethi assures that the health benefits of regular coffee can also be obtained by drinking the decaf versions.
“The protective effect appears to come largely from polyphenols, not just caffeine, with decaf drinkers showing similar liver enzyme improvements in studies,” he stated.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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