Coffee’s benefits may not be due solely to its caffeine high, because depression protection doesn’t extend to all caffeinated drinks. (Cola was among the many sweetened beverages linked to a higher risk of depression, and drinks with artificial sweeteners were even more strongly linked.) Coffee’s mood-lifting effect might be traced to its antioxidants, says lead researcher Honglei Chen, PhD, an epidemiologist at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. So drink up: There’s also research that indicates regular coffee consumption delays the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and protects against type 2 diabetes. (Seriously. Check out 4 Surprising Coffee Cures.)
