Coffee is good! Coffee is bad! Well, which one is it? Let Show Up Fitness succinctly list the benefits of coffee and why you should be drinking it:
1. Coffee may protect us from Alzheimer's, Dementia and Parkinson's. What? What? What did you say? Ya, it will help you with your memory and potentially not lose it.
2. Coffee helps the liver maintain is awesomeness. Did you know the liver has over 400 functions? Ya that's a lot! With all the crap we are eating and drinking, a cup or two of good ‘Ol Joe helps protect our liver. Hungover? Drink some coffee (add some baileys if you want to continue the party.)
3. Coffee is nutritious. It contains many anti-oxidants, B vitamins (2 & 5), Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, and Niacin. The USA as a nation lacks vitamins and minerals in our diet, coffee can help extinguish our nutrient deficiencies.
4. Coffee helps lower the risk of cancers, depression, stroke & type II diabetes. If you're feeling blue, go grab a red eye (large coffee with a shot of espresso) and you'll be feeling better in no time!
5. Coffee is perfect before a workout. Coffee is one of the best pre-workout drinks that don't have an endless list of crappy ingredients that you cannot pronounce. Silicon Dioxide? Don't they make fake boobs out of that? Hell if I know, but that's in your stereotypical pre-workout drinks.
6. Reduction of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS). Coffee has been shown to help reduce the chemical and mechanical damage caused to muscle fibers after resistance training.

Before you go out and start slamming coffee non-stop, let's examine some of the cons:
1. Caffeinism. If you drink A LOT of coffee, you can get addicted. You'll be forced to drink it every day to maintain your mega doses of caffeine; otherwise you'll experience migraines and withdrawals just like alcoholism.
2. Explosive poops. Not necessarily a bad thing, but the caffeine in coffee helps expedite bowel movements. Make sure a bathroom is near when you start drinking it.
3. Anxiety & heart palpitations. People experience different symptoms from drinking coffee so be cautious the first time you drink some. If you start freaking out or your heart starts skipping beats, stop drinking it and consult with your doctor.
4. High in calories. Actually it isn't. A 20oz coffee has 5-10kcals; that's nothing! People get in trouble with coffee with all the fatness they put into it: sugar, sugary creamers, sugar and more sugar. Be a true cowboy and drink it black or opt for a creamer (fat only, no carbs), Stevia or my fav coconut oil!
5. Increases Cortisol production. Coffee increases your heart rate which increases Cortisol production from your adrenal glands. This isn't a bad thing if you're going to the gym, about to sprint in a race or trying to maximize fat loss. The problem lies with sedentary desk jockeys who are drinking 4+ cups a day.

Bottom line: Coffee is freaking awesome! If you're active, the benefits outweigh the cons. Remember to drink plenty of water and try not to consume more than 5 cups a day. Until next time, Shake and Bake!