In preparation for our journey to Australia, (aka, the coffee capital of the world), the website Good Food in Australia has just published an insightful critique into Melbourne Coffee Culture and has discovered that it’s part of the city’s fabric and DNA. Good Food proposes that quite simply, Melbourne has the world’s best coffee culture! To say that we are excited is simply an understatement.

Image via Thrive Market

Fact: Americans consume more than 580 million cups of coffee each day as part of their daily ritual. Studies have shown that daily consumption of caffein has been shown to have a slew of health benefits including, improving muscle performance and stamina, aids in eye-health, contains anti-cancer properties, promotes weight loss, improves overall cardiovascular health, sharpens your brain, and reduces the risk of diabetes to name a few.

Research is emerging that unroasted coffee beans provide numerous skin-related benefits when applied topically.This is especially true of one of the most commonly grown species of the coffee plant, Coffea arabica.

Coffea arabica seed oil is extracted by cold pressing green coffee beans. Its high concentration of essential fatty acids, sterols, and vitamin E make it a potent antioxidant that can offer protection against skin damage such as sunburn cell formation and DNA degradation. It can also assist in the prevention of the development of photoaging and inflammatory skin disorders. Caffeine’s ability to constrict small blood vessels and reduce inflammation is an asset in a number of creams designed to minimize dark circles and sagging skin under the eyes (our favorite eye treatment which contains caffein).

In a placebo-controlled clinical study of 40 female participants, a topical mixture containing Coffea arabica was applied twice daily as a facial wash and once per day as a lotion and night cream. After 12 weeks, treated subjects experienced significant improvements in the appearance of wrinkles,firmness, redness, and texture, compared to the control group.

These impressive results were due to Coffea arabica’s ability to increase production of collagen and elastin and to protect against the loss of moisture.

When Brazilian scientists tested Coffea arabica seed oil on human skin, they found a 1.5-fold increase in elastin production and a nearly 2-fold increase in collagen production compared to the controls. These two proteins are essential for smoothing wrinkles and preserving the firmness and flexibility of facial skin.

In addition, treated skin cells had nearly 7-fold higher expression of aquaglycerolporins-3 (AQP-3) and a 2-fold increase in the amount of glycosaminoglycans. These proteins act as a tag-team to halt moisture loss and improve skin hydration. First, glycosaminoglycans behave like a sponge to bind and trap water molecules in a water reservoir, then AQP-3 transports them to the upper layers of the skin where they reduce excessive facial dryness and fine lines.

Bottom line, we’re telling you that caffein is not only beneficial from a health standpoint, but also promotes ample anti-aging infusions topically. So….get your coffee on!

References: 

1. Velazquez PMC, Dieamant GC, Eberlin S, et al. Effect of green Coffea arabica L. seed oil on extracellular matrix components and water-channelexpression in vitro and ex vivo human skin models. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2009 Mar;8(1):56-62.
2. Kitagawa S, Yoshii K, Morita SY, Teraoka R. Efficient topical delivery of chlorogenic acid by an oil-in-water microemulsion to protect skin againstUV-induced damage. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo). 2011;59(6):793-6.
3. Koo SW, Hirakawa S, Fujii S, Kawasumi M, Nghiem P. Protection from photodamage by topical application of caffeine after ultraviolet irradiation. Br J Dermatol. 2007 May;156(5):957-64.
4. Palmer DM, Kitchin JS. A double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and tolerance of a novel phenolic antioxidant skincare system containing Coffea arabica and concentrated fruit and vegetable extracts. J Drugs Dermatol. 2010 Dec; 9(12):1480-7.
5. Available at: http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2013/04/09/coffee-mania/2069335/. Accessed August 2, 2013.
6. Available at: http://www.ico.org/botanical.asp. Accessed August 2, 2013.
7. Product monograph: Lipactive Green Coffee. Green TechNaturally. January 2008.
8. Product monograph: Crodarom Green Coffee. Crodarom.
9. Kaczvinsky JR, Griffiths CE, Schnicker MS, Li J. Efficacy of anti-aging products for perioribtal wrinkles as measured by 3-D imaging. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2009 Sep;8(3):228-33.