Coffee was first discovered in the Middle East when a shepherd allegedly noticed goats munching on coffee beans and acted funny afterwards. As the story goes, the shepherd brewed the means and found out that it not only tasted good, it also helped fight drowsiness. Another story tells the tale of Pope Clement VIII blessing the drink because it kept the monks awake during mass.

These tales may never be confirmed, but what scientists from UCLA and Harvard are sure of is the fact that the drink has a lot of great health benefits. When taken in moderate quantities, coffee will reduce chances of getting Parkinson's and Alzheimer's by 50 percent and lower the risks of type 2 diabetes. Reports also suggest that cancer can be avoided with regular intake.

According to Dr. Rob van Dam (not the pro wrestler) of the Harvard Medical school, an estimated 171 million people around the world have type 2 diabetes. The figure is expected to balloon up to some 366 million in 20 years if left unchecked. Dr. Van Dam suggests taking 3-5 cups of coffee every day to bring the figure down.

Dr. Lenore Arab agrees, and says coffee has a lot of nutrients that aid in enhancing the body's ability to maintain homeostasis. Chlorogenic acid, caffeine, magnesium, potassium, vitamin B3, trigonelline, and lignans are present in good amounts in every cup, making the drink a good health supplement of sorts.

Studies on its effects on cancer, whether preventive or risk-inducing, are as of yet still inconclusive. The evidence on ovarian, breast and prostate cancer is still limited and are awaiting more research to verify claims.