Regular or decaf? Which coffee is best for your liver?
That drinking coffee helps in reducing liver fat and inflammation linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) — a condition resulting purely from diet, obesity and lifestyle behaviour — has been proved by studies. But many keep asking me if regular coffee is better than decaffeinated coffee, considering online advisories say a regular black coffee has the benefit that the latter doesn't.
Such advisories are based on the assumption that decaffeinated coffee has had a significant portion, up to 97 per cent of its caffeine removed, while still retaining the flavour and aroma of regular coffee. Truth is it is just as effective. The guidelines from the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) recommend the consumption of either caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee to get liver health benefits. Let's begin with understanding what coffee does to the liver in the first place.
How coffee works on the liver
One of coffee's key components, caffeine, stimulates the central nervous system and speeds up the breakdown of fat by activating enzymes. This prevents the accumulation of fat within liver cells. Caffeine stimulates bile, which helps in digesting fat and facilitating its excretion from the body. Research shows that coffee consumption can lower liver enzyme levels, which serve as indicators of liver damage.
When your body digests caffeine, it makes a chemical called paraxanthine that slows the growth of the scar tissue involved in fibrosis.
Why both black and decaf work for the liver
Research indicates that both forms of coffee may lower the risk of liver disease and slow the progression of liver scarring and fibrosis. Even if your cup doesn't contain caffeine, it has antioxidants and other compounds that reduce liver inflammation. These include chlorogenic acid, which prevents fat accumulation by breaking down glucose. Certain compounds found in coffee, such as kahweol and cafestol, possess anti- cancer properties that can prevent liver cancer. Polyphenols, abundant in coffee beans, scavenge harmful free radicals, reducing cell damage and inflammation in liver tissues — two critical factors that lead to progression of NAFLD.
How many cups of coffee should be had in a day?
Consuming three to four cups of coffee daily have been shown to reduce the risk of developing fatty liver disease, primarily by enhancing insulin sensitivity. But do not add sugar, cream, or syrups, as these can diminish the health advantages by introducing extra calories. Excessive caffeine intake can lead to adverse effects such as increased heart rate and anxiety, so go by your doctor's advice and customise your routine.
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