Introduction
Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world, and for good reason. Not only does it provide a delicious pick-me-up, but it can also have some health benefits. According to a dietitian, drinking a specific amount of coffee can actually lower your risk of certain diseases. In this article, we’ll explore the science behind this claim and provide tips on how to get the most out of your coffee. So if you’re looking for a way to improve your health while still enjoying your favorite beverage, read on to learn more!
This Exact Amount of Coffee Can Lower Your Risk of Disease, Says Dietitian — Eat This Not That
If you’re a coffee lover, you’ll be happy to hear that drinking a certain amount of coffee each day can actually lower your risk of disease. According to a dietitian, drinking three to four cups of coffee per day can reduce your risk of developing certain diseases.
The dietitian, who spoke to Eat This Not That, said that the key to reaping the health benefits of coffee is to drink it in moderation. Too much coffee can have the opposite effect and increase your risk of developing certain diseases.
The dietitian also noted that the type of coffee you drink is important. She recommends drinking organic, fair-trade coffee whenever possible. This type of coffee is free of pesticides and other chemicals, which can be harmful to your health.
In addition to drinking coffee in moderation, the dietitian recommends eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. This will help to reduce your risk of developing certain diseases, even if you don’t drink coffee.
So, if you’re a coffee lover, you can enjoy your daily cup of joe knowing that it can actually help to reduce your risk of disease. Just remember to drink it in moderation and opt for organic, fair-trade coffee whenever possible.
Coffee can be one of the best parts of your morning—maybe even the very reason you find the motivation to get out of bed and get going.
Fortunately for all the coffee-lovers out there, it is not only safe to drink moderate amounts of coffee, but it has actually been known to have many surprisingly positive benefits to our health.
We talked with Frankie Phillips, PhD, RD, a registered dietitian with a doctorate in nutrition, about the numerous health benefits of coffee and how many cups per day studies have found to be associated with a healthier life.
Continue reading to learn more, and for even more on the health benefits of coffee, make sure to check out The Final Verdict on Whether or Not Coffee Is Healthy For You.
“More research is still being done in these areas, but drinking coffee in moderation (3-5 cups per day) has been known to have an impact on a lower risk of disease, namely heart disease, and possibly on blood pressure and type 2 diabetes,” says Dr. Phillips.
The FDA has said it’s safe to drink up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day (unless you’re pregnant, in which the suggested limits change).
For reference, here is approximately how much caffeine is in some of your favorite coffee drinks:
- Brewed Coffee (8 ounces) has about 96 milligrams of caffeine.
- A single espresso has about 64 milligrams.
- A tall Starbucks cold brew has about 150 milligrams.
While 3 to 5 cups per day are okay for the average adult, it’s important to pay attention to how your body feels in case you may be more sensitive to caffeine. If you’ve had too much caffeine, you may experience things like jitters, nausea, headaches, or symptoms of anxiety.
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Drinking multiple cups of coffee each day has actually been linked to a decrease in risk of diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
For example, in one meta-analysis of over 30 different caffeine-related studies, it was found that people who drank between 3-5 cups of coffee daily had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who had zero cups of coffee by 15%. In another meta-analysis, it was found that those who had around 3 cups of coffee per day lowered their risk of death by cardiovascular disease by 21%.
Based on these studies, the amount of coffee to drink per day to lower your risk of disease is 3-5 cups.
And according to Harvard School of Public Health, those who regularly consume coffee every day had a lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes than those who didn’t drink it at all.
In a recent interview, Dr. Phillips tells Coffee Friend that “many of the benefits of drinking coffee may be due to the caffeine it contains, but there is increasing interest in the antioxidants present that might have beneficial anti-inflammatory and other useful effects.”
Along with lowering your risk of disease, coffee has been known to also help with your brain health.
“Drinking coffee in moderation has been linked to improvements in alertness and energy levels, as well as cognitive function, and supporting better brain function,” says Dr. Phillips, “and while more research is still needed, there are interesting links between coffee drinking and improvements in neurodegenerative conditions, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.”
RELATED: The #1 Best Diet for Dementia, Says Science
Drinking moderate amounts of coffee has also been linked to weight loss and better weight management.
According to Dr. Phillips, “the caffeine content of coffee can have a beneficial influence on metabolism by helping to boost metabolic rate, and it’s possible that there may be some impact on weight management and fat-burning oxidation as well.”
And while the number of cups can make it an impact, it’s also important to focus on how you drink your coffee as well!
“To make the most of your healthy cup of coffee, try drinking it without adding sugar or flavored syrups and use low-fat or skim milk instead of cream or full-fat milk,” says Dr. Phillips.
It’s of course okay to treat yourself to your favorite PSL from time to time, but choosing healthier ways of drinking coffee can help improve your overall daily health.
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