Why You Should Celebrate National Coffee Day

Today is National Coffee Day in America, and it's worth celebrating if for no other reason than chains all over the country are offering free cups of joe. Yahoo has a comprehensive list, which includes Dunkin' Donuts (free medium cup), Krispy Kreme (free cup, plus a free doughnut), and Peet's (free cup with breakfast item). Alas, no free cup at Starbucks, but the chain is launching a yearlong project to provide trees to coffee farmers, reports CNNMoney. The chain will donate 70 cents (the cost of a tree) for every bag of coffee bought in the US. Other reasons to partake:

• While at work: Fortune rounds up a series of studies finding, among other things, that coffee makes you more perceptive and that taking a coffee break with co-workers is a boon for all.
• Health: Take them with the appropriate grains of salt, but studies have claimed health benefits ranging from cleaner arteries to better vision to a reduced risk of ailments such as melanoma and multiple sclerosis.

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