That latte can do more than add a little pep to your step. It turns out that drinking espresso actually has a ton of health benefits. Keep reading to learn more about the top benefits of espresso.

1. One Of The Top Benefits of Espresso: Enhances Long-Term Memory

If you’re having a hard time remembering things, you might need more caffeine. Turns out drinking the right amount of espresso, can actually help improve your long term memory. Think you can remember that? 

This discovery happened when Michael Yassa, a University of California neuroscientist, did a study where he learned that two espressos enhanced memory consolidation, which in turn, improved long-term memory.

2. Espresso Can Increase Your Attention Span

A lot of people start their day with a shot of espresso, either on its own or in a latte or cappuccino. The caffeine in espresso helps maintain a dopamine concentration in areas of the brain linked to attention.

Know that these benefits tend to be short-termed, so don’t overdo it. As too much caffeine is likely to make you feel jittery, which will only make it harder to concentrate.

3. Espresso Can Help You Lose Weight

Espresso on its own is much lower in calories than most other drinks available at a coffee shop, such as a sugary blended drink. There are only about three calories per ounce of espresso, as long as you don’t add any sugar or cream. Not only is espresso low in calories, but it can also boost your exercise performance. 

There was a study in the Medicine and Science in Sports Journal which discovered that caffeine makes workouts less strenuous while lowering the level of exertion by more than five percent. 

Not only does caffeine make exercise easier but it also reduces the level of muscle pain you may encounter with exercise.   

4. Reduces The Risk Of A Stroke

There was a Swedish study by Susanna Larsson, who found drinking at least a cup of coffee (or a shot of espresso) a day may decrease the risk of suffering from a stroke. This is because of the antioxidant properties of caffeine.

In this study, researches observed a group of women over a ten year period. They discovered that drinking one or more cups of coffee daily reduced their chances of suffering from a stroke by 25 percent. In another study, there were similar results with male smokers, whose risk went down by 21 percent when they drank eight or more cups of coffee a day. 

5. Espresso Can Lower Your Risk Of Diabetes

There was a study by the Harvard School of Public Health where researchers linked high caffeine consumption to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. This study looked at caffeine consumption for women and men over the course of four years.

This study found that those who increased their caffeine intake lowered their risk of type 2 diabetes by 11 percent. Make you want to invest in an espresso machine, huh? Check out these Breville espresso machine reviews. 

Drink More Espresso 

Now that you see all the health benefits of espresso, what do you have to lose? Go ahead and get that extra shot of espresso! All you have to gain is better health!