
In the UK we drink around 100 million cups of coffee a day and it has even overtaken tea in popularity. We have been drinking coffee for over 600 years and many people start the day with a cup of coffee, which due to its caffeine content helps to wake us up and stay alert. Did you know that modern research has found that drinking coffee can be good for you and can help protect against multiple health conditions? Coffee contains polyphenols, antioxidants and also fibre, which can help to prevent tissue damage and play a role in feeding our gut microbes, with studies finding that coffee drinkers have a lowered risk of digestive disease. Coffee has also been shown to lower the risk of heart attacks, stroke, heart failure, type 2 diabetes, and liver disease. Coffee can also boost brain health and increases the production of a protein that is crucial for maintaining our memory and can also supress our appetite by naturally stimulating the hormone GLP-1 (which the weight loss drug Ozempic does). Caffeinated coffee has also been shown to have a whole range of benefits especially on mood, cognition, and alertness. However, all types of coffee, instant, ground or decaffeinated are shown in studies to have a positive effect with the greatest benefit seen in two to three cups a day.
Older studies done pre 2000 suggested that coffee, mainly because of its high caffeine content, was negatively linked to heart disease and even to cancer. However, studies undertaken after 2000 have found that coffee drinkers were less likely to suffer heart disease and that coffee may offer protection against certain cancers such as rectal, kidney, liver and womb cancer. In one such study light coffee drinkers (one to 2 cups a day) had a 21% reduced risk of dying due to a heart attack and that those who drank two or more cups a day had a 31% reduced risk of death. Another study looked at coffee drinking habits in over a million coffee consumers and found moderate coffee drinking (three to four cups per day) was associated with reduced risk of death by 8 per cent and heart disease by 20%. These modern studies demonstrate how important it is to look at all the ingredients and bioactive compounds found in whole foods and drinks and not concentrate solely on one component such as caffeine. As well as containing polyphenols, antioxidants and fibre, coffee also contains Vitamins B2 and B3, and minerals magnesium and potassium, and these nutrients can benefit the human body in a variety of ways.
However, it must be acknowledged that in some people who are sensitive to caffeine drinking coffee can cause problems. Coffee can trigger cramps and diarrhoea in people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, can affect sleeping patterns. Caffeine can also increase the risk of anxiety and panic attacks in some people. If you are sensitive to caffeine decaffeinated coffee still has a high polyphenol content, but please consider doing research into the decaffeination process as some companies use production methods that strip away the health benefits of the coffee. Decaffeinated coffee still contains around 3mg of caffeine per cup which can still affect some people, instant coffee contains around 80-100mg, filter coffee around 140mg per cup whilst espresso varies anywhere between 40-200 mg per shot. The general advice for a safe amount of caffeine in the UK is around 400mg/day which amounts to around four or five cup of coffee.
However, consuming caffeine from coffee as well as having the health benefits mentioned above has also been linked to delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, because caffeine blocks the normal actions of a brain relaxing chemical called adenosine, which in turn increases concentration and alertness. The researchers in one such study concluded that the components found in coffee (particularly caffeine) may play a role in protecting against the changes that occur in Parkinson’s disease but also found that the amounts of specific substances in coffee may vary according to the conditions of growth, harvesting and methods of roasting the coffee beans. The research concluded that in the future it may be possible to optimize the composition of coffee to further enhance its effects. Finally, coffee does not make you dehydrated because the volume of fluids consumed counteracts the diuretic effect of caffeine.
So, enjoy drinking your coffee in the knowledge that it can provide you with a variety of health benefits!
Nicola Rose DipCH BSc (Hons) RNutr is a fully Registered Nutritionist and Clinical Hypnotherapist. She worked for a specialist NHS weight management service for many years. If you have any questions on this article please email Nicola at nrose2862@gmail.com