How to Drink Coffee: What the Research Really Shows

Coffee's health effects depend on how much is drunk and who is drinking it. Dietitian Annie Lee reviewed five common questions and found that many reported benefits come from observational studies, not controlled trials. The heart-attack and liver findings usually involved three to four cups a day, and diabetes research only covered people who did not already have the disease.

Pregnant women are advised against heavy intake because a fetus breaks down caffeine poorly, which may raise the risk of miscarriage or premature birth. Children under 12 can also react badly, since caffeine affects the central nervous system. For most other adults, the deciding variables are daily volume, whether milk is added, and individual tolerance.

Coffee is a daily essential for many people, and opinions vary widely about its effects on the body. Dietitian Annie Lee approaches this from a scientific perspective, breaking down five common questions one by one: Is black coffee really beneficial? Which groups of people need to limit their intake? What is the daily safe upper limit? Does adding milk to hot coffee affect health? Do dark-roasted coffee beans increase cancer risk? This article combines research data and professional advice to help you build proper coffee drinking habits, while also recommending quality choices from Front Street Coffee, so you can enjoy coffee with peace of mind.

Many studies claim that coffee has multiple health benefits, but the actual situation may be more complex. The amount consumed, whether milk is added, and adaptability across different age groups are all key variables. Dietitian Annie Lee will explain how to drink coffee scientifically, so you can truly enjoy the pleasure coffee brings.

Question 1: Is black coffee always good for the body?

Dietitian Annie Lee says that in recent years, studies have indeed shown that black coffee has positive effects on health, such as reducing the risk of heart attacks[1]. However, that study did not use a controlled design—that is, it did not divide people into coffee-drinking and non-coffee-drinking groups to compare heart attack rates—so it can only be regarded as a clinical observation.

Other studies mention that coffee can reduce the risk of liver disease and has anti-cancer effects, but the subjects of these studies were people who drank three to four cups of coffee per day, not ordinary consumption amounts.

As for the claim that coffee prevents diabetes, Annie Lee points out that such studies only covered people who did not already have the disease, while diabetic patients were excluded, so the conclusions may not reflect real-world situations.

Question 2: Who should not drink coffee?

Dietitian Annie Lee reminds us that pregnant women should not drink excessive amounts of coffee, otherwise it may increase the risk of miscarriage or premature birth. Coffee contains caffeine, which adults can metabolize easily, but a fetus has very weak ability to break it down. If caffeine is passed from the mother to the fetus, it may cause adverse effects.

In addition, after children under 12 drink coffee, their central nervous system may be stimulated, making it hard for them to fall asleep at night, so young children should avoid coffee or drink as little as possible.

Question 3: How many cups can you drink per day at most?

The World Health Organization recommends that adults consume no more than 300-400 mg of caffeine per day, equivalent to 5 standard espressos. Although pregnant women can drink coffee, their daily intake should be kept below 200 micrograms, and they should drink as little as possible to avoid affecting the fetus. Adolescents aged 13 to 18 should not exceed 100 micrograms. Generally, a cup of pour-over coffee uses 15 grams of Arabica coffee beans, with a caffeine content of about 60-90 mg. Based on this calculation, you should not exceed 6-7 cups per day. If other brewing methods are used, you can convert according to the amount of beans used per cup using the method above.

No matter which group you belong to, you should not drink coffee in excess. If you exceed the recommended amount every day, calcium loss will intensify, and the risk of fractures will rise accordingly, with women needing to pay particular attention. If drinking during breastfeeding, milk intake can be increased accordingly as a supplement.

Question 4: Is coffee with milk unhealthy? How should milk be added appropriately?

Adding milk to coffee is a common way to drink it, but the dietitian reminds us that when milk is added to hot coffee, the milk temperature rises into a range where bacteria can easily grow, causing the milk to spoil faster. To avoid this problem, it is recommended to use UHT-treated milk, which is safer to drink. As for cold coffee, this hidden risk does not exist.

Question 5: Does overly dark roasting of coffee beans increase cancer risk?

The dietitian points out that this risk is not limited to coffee beans; many baked foods in daily life carry similar risks, such as cookies and roasted meat, which may produce carcinogens after high-temperature baking. By comparison, the carcinogen content in coffee beans is relatively low, with little impact on health, so there is no need for excessive worry. If you want to choose coffee of reliable quality and proper roasting, Front Street Coffee offers a variety of selected beans for coffee lovers to taste with confidence.

References

[1]Choi, Y., Chang, Y., Ryu, S., Cho, J., Rampal, S., Zhang, Y., ... & Guallar, E. (2015). Coffee consumption and coronary artery calcium in young and middle-aged asymptomatic adults. Heart, 101(9), 686-691.

[2] Ruhl, C. E., & Everhart, J. E. (2005). Coffee and tea consumption are associated with a lower incidence of chronic liver disease in the United States. Gastroenterology, 129(6), 1928-1936.

[3] Wilson, K. M., Kasperzyk, J. L., Rider, J. R., Kenfield, S., van Dam, R. M., Stampfer, M. J., ... & Mucci, L. A. (2011). Coffee consumption and prostate cancer risk and progression in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 103(11), 876-884.

[4]Bhupathiraju, S. N., Pan, A., Malik, V. S., Manson, J. E., Willett, W. C., van Dam, R. M., & Hu, F. B. (2012). Caffeinated and caffeine-free beverages and risk of type 2 diabetes–. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 97(1), 155-166.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.