Adapted and republished from my own defunct gaming fitness site.
Coffee is certainly a prized possession among many different demographics. In fact, the coffee bean is one of the largest agricultural exports of the world, being part of a very large industry that's enjoyed the world over. Coffee also has a reputation that sits along the healthy/unhealthy border where it's merits are debated to a great extent. It is, though, consistently proven to be a very beneficial fruit, having health benefits that belie the simple, roasted exterior.
Coffee is revered among gamers, a delicious beverage that provides both a tasty treat and the most precious ingredient of them all; caffeine. And even better, coffee is cheaper than other energy drinks while not having all of the extra superfluous ingredients that might end up being detrimental to you. Coffee is a gaming beverage through and through, the very dulcet libation that serves to sustain life.
What can coffee do for you?
Coffee has a lot of different biological and physiological effects on the body, most notably as a central nervous system stimulant. Nutritionally it contains more than you might think, too. No, it's not truly calorie free even in it's pure black form, but what it does have is an excellent nutrient profile. Surprisingly, 8 ounces of the magical liquid has around 2 calories, which isn't much at all. That's 0.05g of fat in total with a high percent of omega 6 fatty acids; 0.09g of carbohydrates, even with a tiny bit of fiber thrown in for your enjoyment; and 0.28g of protein with an amino acid profile to die for.Not only that, but the mineral content is exceptionally robust as well. You'll also find more than 300mg of antioxidants inside, not to mention the addition of polyphenols, that might also have an antioxidant effect.
So while coffee does have calories, those calories are not wasted on frivolous things, but instead centered on precisely the stat's that your body enjoys. Useful this coffee is. Below we have the amino acid profile as well as the vitamin and mineral profile.
PROTEIN & AMINO ACIDS |
|
Protein | 0.3g |
Tryptophan | 0.0mg |
Theronine | 2.4mg |
Isolucine | 4.7mg |
Leucine | 11.9mg |
Lysine | 2.4mg |
Methionine | 0.0mg |
Cystine | 4.7mg |
Phenylalanine | 7.1mg |
Tyrosine | 4.7mg |
Valine | 7.1mg |
Arginine | 2.4mg |
Histidine | 4.7mg |
Alanine | 7.1mg |
Aspartic acid | 11.9mg |
Glutamic acid | 47.4mg |
Glycine | 9.5mg |
Proline | 9.5mg |
Serine | 2.4mg |
Hydroxyproline | ~ |
VITAMINS |
|
Vitamin A | 0.0IU |
Vitamin C | 0.0mg |
Vitamin D | ~ |
Vitamin E | 0.0mg |
Vitamin K | 0.2mcg |
Thiamin | 0.0mg |
Riboflavin | 0.2mg |
Niacin | 0.5mg |
Vitamin B6 | 0.0mg |
Folate | 4.7mg |
Vitamin B12 | 0.0mcg |
Pantothenic Acid | 0.6mg |
Choline | 6.2mg |
Betaine | ~ |
MINERALS |
|
Calcium | 4.7mg |
Iron | 0.0mg |
Magnesium | 7.1mg |
Phosphorus | 7.1mg |
Potassium | 116mg |
Sodium | 4.7mg |
Zinc | 0.0mg |
Copper | 0.0mg |
Manganese | 0.1mg |
Selenium | 0.0mcg |
But is it magical?
Well, of course not, but when consumed in moderate amounts, our fantastic caffeinated beverage friend can be quite the help to the human body. And it can be quite the help to your game as well. Coffee should be the gamers choice when it comes to energy drinks. It’s all the good things to actually keep you at your peak efficiency.
Stimulation Station
Coffee can have a fantastic effect on our ability to focus and pay attention. It's ability to increase our mental vigilance can certainly help provide us with the ability to perform better. Provided you don't drink too much on a regular basis.
Did you also know that caffeine can be a mood elevator as well? Even with those that have severe depression, coffee can provide at least a mild boost in your mood. It can have a slight to moderate euphoric effect that can help to make you feel great.
Please know that severe depression is a serious issue, and if you suffer from it, don't be afraid to get help. Coffee and other natural remedies are great, but a good doctor can be much better. Please don't be afraid to get help.
What else can it do? Well, apparently the consumption of coffee has been linked to lower risk for death in general and a lower risk for heart disease. And, as a great surprise, coffee has been consistently shown to be associated with a lower risk for type 2 diabetes.
Risks, however small, are indeed there
There are, of course, some negative side-effects to be aware of, that it blocks the calcium uptake in muscles and bones that can be detrimental if you don't get enough calcium in your diet. It can also have a negative effect on your blood pressure, raising it slightly. Though it doesn't have any apparent effect on your heart rate alone, interestingly.
Coffee, then, is a mostly healthful drink that has a tremendous amount of benefits that severely outweigh any negatives. It's a fantastic drink that tastes great and that goes with nearly any meal. And even better, if consumed moderately it can even help increase your level of concentration in a not insignificant way to improve your game.
Just make sure to minimize the additives you put in it, that's where it starts to become unhealthy. But drink away my friends, enjoy the delicious, dark drink. It's far healthier for you than a lot of things out there.
Coffee is actually good for you, so enjoy it immensly
References
Andersen, L. F., Jacobs, D. R., Carlsen, M. H., & Blomhoff, R. (2006). Consumption of coffee is associated with reduced risk of death attributed to inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases in the Iowa Women's Health Study.The American journal of clinical nutrition, 83(5), 1039-1046.
Casas, M., Antoni Ramos-Quiroga, J., Prat, G., & Qureshi, A. (2004). Effects of Coffee and Caffeine on Mood and Mood Disorders. In Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, and the Brain. New York: CRC Press.
Snel, J., Tieges, Z., & Lorist, M. (2004). Effects of Caffeine on Sleep and Wakefulness: An Update. In Coffee, Tea, Chocolate, and the Brain. New York: CRC Press.
Van Dam, R. M., & Hu, F. B. (2005). Coffee consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: a systematic review. Jama, 294(1), 97-104.
Wu, J. N., Ho, S. C., Zhou, C., Ling, W. H., Chen, W. Q., Wang, C. L., & Chen, Y. M. (2009). Coffee consumption and risk of coronary heart diseases: a meta-analysis of 21 prospective cohort studies. International journal of cardiology,137(3), 216-225.