Harvard School of Public Health did a study which showed that drinking two to four cups of coffee a day, cut the risk of suicides by 50 percent. Coffee can act as a mild anti-depressant for many people. Researchers have found that caffeine aids in the production of noradrenaline, dopamine and serotonin, all neurotransmitters.

Diabetes and Java Use

People who drank more than four cups of coffee a day had a smaller chance of developing type 2 diabetes – by as much as 50 percent! This according to a study by the American Chemical Society. Each subsequent cup cut the risk another seven percent. 

"The vast majority of those studies have shown a benefit of coffee on the prevention of diabetes. And now there is also evidence that decaffeinated coffee may have the same benefit as regular coffee,” Hu said.

Coffee is also high in magnesium and chromium, both used by the body to help regulate insulin use, which then in turn controls diabetes.

Coffee and Athletes

Caffeine increases the amount of fatty acids in your bloodstream, allowing athletes to burn that form of fuel first before the need to tap into carbohydrate reserves. A cup of coffee before a workout could spur you on just the needed amount to get you moving. That’s for us non-athletes who just want to stay in shape.

Several studies have confirmed that caffeine can help boost the metabolic rate by three to 11 percent. Caffeine is one of a few natural metabolic boosters available. There have been other studies that found obese people increased fat burning by about 10 percent and 29 percent for lean people.