10 studies that prove morning coffee's amazing health benefits

Many studies conducted in recent years have shown a general shift in scientific research from thinking coffee harmful, as many researchers thought in recent decades, to finding that it is actually beneficial.

As the scientific community no longer thinks drinking coffee in moderation is a bad idea, we took a look at some of the latest research that proves drinking coffee can have amazing health perks.

A new Italian study published in the latest issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease found that drinking one to two cups of coffee per day significantly reduces the incidence of mild cognitive impairment, which precedes dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

It found that both those who never or rarely drank coffee and those who increased their consumption beyond moderate levels have a higher rate of developing MCI, suggesting that moderation is the key to reaping coffee's health benefits.

A 2008 Harvard study was considered a turning point as it found that drinking coffee was not associated with increased deaths in either men or women, busting the myth that drinking too much coffee shortens lives.

The study was one of the earliest to suggest that drinking coffee is associated with a smaller rate of death, paving the way for later research.

A 2014 study in Singapore found that drinking two or more cups of coffee every day can reduce the risk of death from liver cirrhosis by 66 percent, while other earlier studies found that those who drink four or more cups per day have up to an 80 percent lower risk.

A 2011 Harvard study found that found the risk of depression was 20 percent lower among women who drank four or more cups of caffeinated coffee than those who drank little or none. An earlier study published in 1996 found that those who drank four or more cups per day were 53 percent less likely to commit suicide, suggesting a strong association between coffee intake and lower risk of suicide.

A 2010 Kaiser Permanente Division study found that coffee drinkers were less likely to be hospitalized for heart rhythm disturbances than non-coffee drinkers. In addition, a 2012 US study found that participants who drank four cups per day had an 11 percent lower risk of heart failure than those who didn't, supporting earlier studies.

A 2013 National Institutes of Health study showed an association between coffee and longevity as it found that caffeinated and decaf coffee drinkers were less likely to die from heart an respiratory diseases, stroke, injuries, accidents, and infections.

A 2011 Swedish study followed over 30,000 women for 10 years and found that those who drank more than one cup of coffee per day appeared to have a 22 to 25 percent lower risk of stroke than women who drank little or no coffee as they have an increased risk.

A 2010 Portuguese study found that those who regularly drank two to three cups of coffee a day had a 25 percent lower chance of developing the disease than non-coffee drinkers. A 2012 McGill University study later found that drinking coffee could even help treat motion impairment.

A 2014 Harvard study confirmed the findings of earlier studies when it found that participants who increased their coffee intake by more than one cup a day over a four-year period had an 11 percent lower type 2 diabetes risk over the subsequent 4 years, while those who lowered their daily consumption showed a 17 percent higher risk.

A 2013 Italian study found that coffee consumption reduces the risk of liver cancer by about 40 percent and that drinking three cups a day reduces risks by more than 50 percent. Other studies found a link between coffee and lower risks of endometrial, aggressive prostate and estrogen-negative breast cancer.