Coffee is a way of life. It’s a passion. Hey, it’s even a hobby. It can be a love for both those who are morning people and those who… well, aren’t.

Coffee comes in all different forms and flavors, whether it’s home-brewed or from your favorite coffee shop. We love our cold brew and our hot lattes - we don’t discriminate. Some of us can’t live without it and some of us treat ourselves to it every once in a while, but overall… our relationship with coffee is pretty serious.

That being said, coffee does get a bad rap. The discussion surrounding coffee habits is definitely more negative than positive. I’m looking for any reason to keep drinking it, and recently, I’ve noticed a change of heart from earlier studies on coffee consumption.

So… hear me out. Maybe our coffee habit is actually healthy. Best news ever? Here are some ways that that morning cup can be beneficial to your health.

1. It gets you up in the morning

If just the thought of the smell of coffee is enough to make you roll out of bed, this one’s for you. Denying yourself the pleasure of your favorite morning ritual will only make it harder to get the day started. The energy coffee can give you is incomparable- we’re definitely more focused, alert and ready to take on our busy schedules with a cup in hand.

2. It's filled with antioxidants

Antioxidants are imperative in fighting cancer, decreasing inflammation and boosting our immune system. Lucky for us, scientists have found that coffee is full of them. They are best absorbed through coffee and they also serve as a cleanse to our system. So, next time you have your morning coffee, you can tell your friends you are on a cleanse. Sounds good to me.

This also serves as a helping hand to our liver, which we know works to filter out our not-so-healthy habits, like drinking. When coffee is in our system, there are more antioxidants as well, which lowers the liver enzymes that get so elevated when we drink. Honestly, I’ll take anything that promotes a better hangover, especially more coffee.

3. It makes you happier

You’re not exaggerating when you say that coffee literally makes you a happier person- it really does! For those of you ‘don’t even talk to me until I’ve had my morning cup’ type of coffee drinkers, here is your validation. Coffee acts as a mild antidepressant because it helps to aid the release of hormones like serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline. While some forms of caffeine are seen as a depressant (like Coke), those antioxidants are your new bestie when it comes to needing a mood-booster.

4. It improves fitness

Of course, we know that coffee gives you the energy to go about your day, duh. But have you ever considered coffee as that extra boost you need before your workout? Coffee readies our body for physical activity by increasing epinephrine levels in the blood. It also breaks down body fat so we can use free fatty acids as fuel, making for some of our best and most effective workouts ever. I fully expect to look as good as a Victoria's Secret model now.

Next time someone tells you to cut back on your coffee habit, hit ‘em with some facts. Please. Don’t make me cut back.