It doesn’t matter whether we take it over ice at a desk, piping hot while we cozy up in our favorite chair, or to-go as we run out the door, many of us enjoy a cup of joe in our routine. As it’s such a staple in our lives, it’s normal to wonder if coffee is good for you.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that most people can tolerate up to 400 milligrams of coffee a day—that lines up to between two and three 12 oz cups of the good stuff each day—without experiencing any adverse effects.
As for those who exceed the recommended limits (or those who are more sensitive to caffeine than others)? Well, the experts say that you may be in for a bit of a bumpy ride in some cases, with short-term side effects ranging from mild anxiety to an upset stomach, and long-term complications that may lead to high blood pressure.
With such a wide range of rumored issues associated with consuming too much coffee (rapid heart rate, anyone?), some folks may find themselves asking whether their daily coffee habit could be bad for their health.
Meet the Experts: Keri Glassman, M.S., R.D.N., a celebrity nutritionist and founder and CEO of Nutritious Life; Catherine Carpenter, Ph.D., M.P.H., an investigator of cancer risk from dietary patterns and an adjunct professor at the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition; Susan Oh, M.P.H., director of the nutrition research program at Johns Hopkins; Brynna Connor, M.D.; Edo Paz, M.D., a cardiologist in NY
Keep reading to learn what the experts say about the physical effects of drinking coffee, including a few surprising science-backed benefits that may be lurking in your morning cup(s) of coffee.
Is coffee good for you?
Let’s take a brief moment to remind ourselves as to how the research behind the benefits of coffee has changed over the years: In 1991, the World Health Organization (WHO) classified the beverage as a “possible carcinogen.” Then, in 2016, the organization found that there was “no conclusive evidence for a carcinogenic effect of drinking coffee.” And in between, most of the news about coffee was largely positive: That, instead of being harmful to your health, regular coffee consumption, in moderation, is actually good for you.
Then, in 2018, when new Proposition 65 regulations took effect in California, there was debate as to whether companies must put cancer warning labels on coffee products sold in California. The reason: When roasted, coffee produces a chemical called acrylamide, which is classified as a carcinogen in California.
The verdict: The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment found that no warning labels are required, after evaluating thousands of studies, since the chemicals created during roasting and brewing do not pose a significant risk of cancer. And, acrylamide has only been shown to cause cancer in lab rodents.
“Large amounts of acrylamide has been shown to cause cancer in animal models, but there’s no compelling evidence showing that it increases the risk of cancer in humans,” says Catherine Carpenter, Ph.D., M.P.H., an investigator of cancer risk from dietary patterns and adjunct professor at the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition.
Plus, in rodent studies, she says, “animals are exposed to up to 60 times higher concentration of acrylamide than what humans are exposed to.” If you were drinking enough coffee every day to be exposed to that much acrylamide, you’d probably have bigger problems than just increased cancer risk.
So, with these myths busted, let’s talk about the health benefits of coffee. “Coffee can be good for us and actually help prevent disease due to its being high in antioxidants,” says Keri Glassman, M.S., R.D.N.. The high presence of antioxidants, specifically polyphenols, in coffee is tied to many benefits including decreasing the risk of diseases like cancer and liver disease. “It is also high in hydrocinnamic acids including chlorogenic acid and ferulic acid which all have antioxidant properties,” says Glassman.
Still feeling uneasy about your daily cup of joe? Here are more research-backed reasons to turn on your coffee pot.
What are the benefits of coffee?
1. Coffee might help lower your risk of certain cancers
There are more than 1,000 compounds in coffee, many of which likely harbor anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer compounds, according to a BMJ research review. “The coffee bean itself has antioxidants in it, which help prevent free radical damage that could potentially lead to cancer,” explains Susan Oh, M.P.H., director of the nutrition research program at Johns Hopkins.
According to the report, coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of melanoma and leukemia, as well as prostate and endometrial cancers. What’s more, a 2017 University of Southern California study found that coffee drinkers were 26 percent less likely to develop colorectal cancer than non-coffee drinkers. And those who drank more than 2.5 servings a day were 54 percent less likely to get the cancer.
2. Coffee could help reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s
Research indicates that caffeine, ingested either by drinking coffee or by taking a caffeine supplement, can help improve memory, explains Brynna Connor, M.D. “There is also evidence that shows people who drink caffeine (in moderation!) daily have a lower risk of developing dementia.”
In fact, one small study of subjects who showed signs of memory problems found that over a 2- to 4-year period, people with lower blood levels of caffeine were more likely to develop dementia than those with higher levels.
3. It may improve skin health
Another potential perk to your daily java fix? You might look better. “Coffee also has high amounts of antioxidants which have been shown to help reduce inflammation and improve overall skin health,” Dr. Connor says.
4. It may help keep your heart healthy
Coffee has several important impacts on the heart, according to Edo Paz, M.D., a cardiologist in NY. “The caffeine in coffee can lead to increased heart rate and blood pressure, and can also lead to dehydration,” Dr. Paz says, cautioning that as long as you’re consuming it in moderation, you shouldn’t have any problems.
“In fact, coffee has been shown to have some benefits, too. For example, one study found that moderate coffee consumption can reduce the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and other heart conditions.”
5. Coffee might lower your risk of Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s is a disease of the central nervous system characterized by tremors. “Many studies have shown that coffee may exert not only neuroprotective benefits in the development of Parkinson’s Disease but also may help with movement symptoms,” says Glassman.
6. Coffee may protect DNA
One study conducted in 2018 showed that the consumption of dark roast coffee may prevent DNA damage in both men and women. Moderate coffee consumption was linked to the prevention of DNA strand breakage, which studies suggest could also be linked to lower risk of certain diseases, like cancer.
7. Coffee might help you live longer
Most importantly, research shows that people who drink coffee may be less likely to die from all causes. That was the conclusion of a 2022 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, which found that drinking 1.5 to 3.5 cups of coffee a day was associated with a lower risk of mortality, including deaths from heart disease and cancer.
8. Coffee may help with mental health
“One study showed that regular coffee drinkers were less likely to have depressive symptoms,” shares Glassman. While more research needs to be done, the study compared coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers, and those who consumed coffee were less likely to experience depressive symptoms as well as reported lower perceived stress. This could be due to the high amounts of antioxidants in coffee.
9. Coffee might help boost your workouts
Need a little boost to get you through your workout? A 2018 study showed that caffeine has a positive result on time trial endurance performance for athletes. “The best way to maximize this boost is to couple your cup of coffee with a snack or meal that is proportioned with healthy fats, high-quality protein, and fiber to help balance blood sugar levels,” says Glassman. So be conscious of how you consume your caffeine to get the best boost.
Plus, a 2015 study from the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism suggests that people who drink coffee before a workout burn more calories after exercise, also known as EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption). We’ll drink to that!
Is it bad to drink coffee every day?
Drinking coffee every day isn’t inherently bad, but Chester Wu, M.D., a psychiatrist and sleep specialist in Texas, says that coffee does have an impact on your health depending on how much you drink and when you drink it.
“Daily consumption of moderate amounts (defined in this review as two to three cups or 300 mg/day) has been associated with several health benefits, such as better cognitive function and reduced risk of certain diseases,” he says. “However, drinking coffee too late in the day—or consuming too much caffeine throughout the day—can interfere with your sleep by delaying sleep onset or reducing overall sleep quality.”
And that’s not all. Dr. Wu says that if you’ve become dependent on coffee to get through the day, it may be a sign of an underlying health issue, like a sleep debt.
What does coffee do to your body?
When you drink coffee, Dr. Wu says the caffeine acts as a stimulant by blocking adenosine, the neurotransmitter that promotes sleep, resulting in increased alertness and focus. “This is why coffee can help you feel more awake, particularly in the morning or during a midday slump,” he says.
“However, caffeine also triggers the release of adrenaline, which raises your heart rate and can cause jitteriness or anxiety in some people, especially in large doses,” Dr. Wu continues. “The stimulating effects of coffee can last for several hours, meaning that even if you drink it early in the day, it might still be affecting your ability to relax and fall asleep at night.”
In addition to adrenaline, Dr. Connor says that the stimulant in coffee may also affect your central nervous system, leading to an increased amount of cortisol hitting your system. Cortisol is also known as the “stress hormone,” and high levels of it may compound that anxious feeling some people get when they have too much caffeine.
Unfortunately, Dr. Wu says that regular caffeine consumption can cause you to build up a tolerance, meaning you may need to drink more over time to get the same effect, which can potentially exacerbate any side effects you’re experiencing.
So what’s the verdict? It seems like the experts all agree that as long as you’re not experiencing any unpleasant side effects, coffee is a perfectly fine drink to enjoy… as long as you’re doing it in moderation.
Learn more about the amazing health benefits of coffee from this video.
