Coffee, like the Folgers commercials state in their ads, is the best part of waking up. Except those commercials were missing one important aspect about coffee. It is also great for your health! Just when you thought you didn’t need another reason to drink more coffee. 

A little coffee background

The coffee we drink everyday is made from coffee beans. However, these beans are actually the seeds of a fruit called coffee cherries that grow on coffee plants ranging from trees to shrubs. 

There are two main types of coffee beans, Arabica and Robusta, with Arabica being the most popular but also more difficult to grow of the two types due to it being more sensitive to weather changes and growing environment. 

Once the beans are collected, they have to be roasted. This is split into light, medium, and dark roast with variations between all the ranges. Lighter roast coffees will be more acidic and have less roasted flavor while the darker roast coffees will have more bitter roasted flavors and less acidity. 

Most coffee is bought pre-ground in a medium grind which is perfect for drip coffee machines. Grinding the beans does make a difference in taste as well. A fine grind, like that used for espresso, releases more of the oils found in the beans and intensifies the flavor. Meanwhile, more coarse grinds are used for coffee presses like the French press. 

What makes coffee healthy for us?

Coffee has been around for many decades and for a little while was considered a carcinogen. Luckily, as more research came out, that label was removed and instead coffee was proven to be beneficial to our health. 

The very cup of coffee you may have drank already or are drinking right now contains over a thousand different chemicals. Yes, there’s way more in that mug than just caffeine. It is these plant chemicals, many of them polyphenols and diterpenes, that provide us with the health benefits.

Some of the health benefits of drinking coffee include

• Reduced risk of some cancers such as colon cancer

• Polyphenols have been shown to prevent cancer cell growth and reduce estrogen levels.

• Improved control of type 2 diabetes

• The polyphenols and minerals found in coffee can help increase insulin sensitivity and metabolism of glucose.

• Reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke

• Although the exact reasons are unknown, regular consumption of modest amounts of coffee has a protective effect on our cardiovascular system.

• Decrease risk of gallstones

• Coffee stimulates contractions of the gallbladder helping eliminate excess bile and has the ability to prevent cholesterol from forming into crystals in the gallbladder.

• Reduce the risk of depression 

• Coffee can act as an antidepressant in some people and help elevate mood while decreasing anxiety.

• Decrease risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease  

• Caffeine in coffee has some findings of being protective of specific brain cells that are involved in the disease process of each disease.

• Lower over mortality risk

• Long-term studies have shown that regular consumption of coffee can decrease the risk of early death. 

One of the greatest health promoting properties of coffee is its ability to reduce inflammation and protect our cells with its strong antioxidant chemical compounds. If you haven’t already read the blog on inflammation and antioxidants make sure to check them out by clicking the link.

Coffee with a side of caution

Unfortunately, as great as coffee can be for us and our health, there are some aspects to be aware of that can cause more harm than good. 

• Caffeine intake should be limited to no more than 400mg/day. 

• 8 ounces of coffee has around 95 mg of caffeine.

• Caffeine can irritate the stomach so people with stomach issues or that are more sensitive should be cautious when drinking coffee.

• Caffeine can cause restlessness, anxiety, and increased heart rate in some and should be avoided or used with caution if you experience these symptoms. People with high blood pressure should be cautious with their caffeine intake.

• Some methods of brewing coffee that do not use a filter such as French press or espresso can pass through certain chemicals that can increase (bad) LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

• Coffee made using a filter removes these chemicals and may be the better option for people with high cholesterol or heart disease.

• Women who are pregnant should avoid coffee or limit caffeine intake to under 200 mg per day as higher caffeine intake has been linked to low birth weight and pregnancy loss.

• Contrary to popular belief, the caffeine in coffee will not dehydrate you. The small diuretic effect is offset by the amount of water found in a cup of coffee. Afterall the American troops used coffee to stay hydrated while in Vietnam where water had to be boiled to be safe to drink.

Luckily the health benefits of coffee are also found in decaf coffee as well. So that means you can start your day with a cup or two of caffeinated coffee and continue the health benefits with decaf without the side effects of high caffeine intake throughout the day. 

The key takeaway

Coffee is a powerful health beverage packed with antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and many other chemical compounds that are beneficial to our long-term health. Caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee have the same health benefits so a mix of two is best to reap the greatest benefits. 

Some studies have found that up to 10 cups of coffee per day may need to be consumed in order to get the beneficial amount of certain chemical compounds. However, the majority of studies state a modest amount of 2-5 cups per day is enough to obtain the health benefits. 

Keep in mind that the brewing process itself can impact certain chemicals and using a filtered method is currently the best for health benefits. 

And finally light to medium roast tends to be best for health as dark roasts can contain carcinogens from increased roasting time. Although this amount may be minimal it's something to consider if you drink a fair amount of coffee each day.

Next time you enjoy that cup of coffee just remember all the good it's doing your body besides helping you wake up.

Written by: Adam Skowyra MPPD, RDN, LD