Cappuccinos for Cognition!

Yesterday was National Cappuccino Day! A cappuccino is an espresso-based coffee made with a smaller amount of steamed milk and a thick layer of foam. It has a bold taste and the most preferred variety. It originates from Italy, where early variations were consumed starting in the 1600’s. Espresso was popularized by the invention of the espresso machine. In 1901, Luigi Bezzera filed the first patent in Italy. After WWII, the espresso machine’s popularity spread beyond Italy into the rest of Europe. In the 1990’s, Starbucks helped launch the cappuccino into popularity in North America. The word cappuccino comes from the Capuchin friars and is a form of the word cappuccio in Italian, meaning hood or something that covers the head. Interestingly enough, this popular coffee beverage got its name not from the hood on their habits but instead from the color of the hooded robes that the friars wore. 

Not only are cappuccinos delicious, they are healthy for you! It has been proven for years that drinking coffee and espresso has many health benefits. Coffee beans have a high level of antioxidants that play an important role in promoting good health and wellness. Antioxidants are substances that can prevent or slow damage to cells caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that the body produces as a reaction to environmental and other pressures. All disease and illness starts on a cellular level, so if the cells are kept healthy with antioxidants, then the risk of disease is reduced. 

Studies reveal that a cup of cappuccino up to 180 ml a day can significantly prevent the oxidization of bad cholesterol and prevent heart problems. It also lowers the chances of a stroke by 20 per cent and take it without sugar, to keep blood sugars under control. It also assists in digestion.

One reason why we love cappuccinos at Private Home Care is because coffee promotes healthy aging by preventing or slowing cognitive decline. It is well-researched that coffee helps stimulate the brain by improving focus, memory, mood, energy, and general mental function. But what most of us don’t know is that frequent consumption of coffee can as well prevent cognitive decline related to mental anomalies such as Alzheimer’s disease. Almost two-thirds of Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease are women. But the caffeine in two cups of coffee may provide significant protection against developing the condition. In fact, researchers found that women aged 65 and older who drank two to three cups of coffee a day were less likely to develop dementia in general.

There are several theories on how coffee can help prevent or better yet, protect cognitive decline. The caffeine in coffee prevents beta-amyloid plaque build-up. The plaque can contribute to the beginning as well as the progression of Alzheimer’s. Also, researchers theorise that since a regular cup of coffee can keep dietary diabetes away (a dementia risk factor), it can also be said to minimise the danger of developing dementia.