We all know that coffee contains caffeine, which is great for a pick me up when you’re experiencing an energy slump, but coffee has some other surprising health benefits, too.

A few years ago you may have been told that coffee was bad for your health, that it could cause high blood pressure, an increased heart rate, and could potentially be a carcinogen. However, Harvard notes that the approach towards coffee has changed a lot in the last few years, and there is evidence to suggest that coffee is actually beneficial, even having the potential to increase our lifespan.

Research published in Circulation found that consuming a moderate amount of coffee led to between 8 and 15 percent less risk of death. But that’s not all, as Medicine News Today reveals, increased coffee consumption could prevent type 2 diabetes, and researchers in the United States have found that coffee (and caffeine) consumption resulted in a lower incidence of Parkinson's disease.

Another compelling reason to drink coffee would be the effect it can have on the liver, and according to Healthline, those who drink four or more cups of a coffee a day could be up to 80 percent more protected against cirrhosis (a condition in the late stages of scarring, caused by liver disease or other conditions which affect the liver).

One of the reasons coffee is drunk by so many is because aside from tasting good, it aids the mood and also increases mental alertness, and in the long term this could be beneficial. Healthline notes that individuals who drink coffee have been found to have 65 percent less risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.

If you’ve done an intense workout, two cups of coffee could also help boost recovery and reduce muscle pain, as Journal of Pain notes (via Caffeine informer). Also, caffeine is found in almost every fat burning supplement and can reportedly increase fat burning, Healthline notes.

Suddenly it’s become even more appealing to reach for a coffee in the morning!

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