7 Health Benefits Of Coffee

Oh, coffee. The a.m. savior, dispenser of energy and the reason why many of us are able to get through the first parts of our days without looking like zombies.

But studies show that we may be benefitting from more than just the energy-boosting caffeine in coffee -- we might also be reaping its cancer-preventing and depression-lowering effects, just to name a couple.

Of course, as with all good things, moderation is key -- excessive coffee consumption is associated with cardiovascular problems, including an increased heart rate or blood pressure and irregular heartbeats, Harvard Health Publications reports. And all that caffeine can become addictive. Experts tend to agree that the good largely outweighs the bad for most people, but remember to consume in moderation (and skip calorie-heavy add-ins like sugar and cream).

Click through the slideshow to see what recent science says about the possible health benefits of a cuppa.