Scientists Reveal What Happens to Your Body When You Drink Coffee Every Day
We asked experts to explain how the morning delicacy can have such an impact.
There are a few catches.
The ritual of brewing and sipping fresh coffee each morning is one many of us look forward to, and a new study's findings may give you the push to pour another cup. Researchers connected coffee consumption to mortality among a large population of participants and found that coffee may actually help you live longer, with a few caveats.
Meet the Experts: David Perlmutter, M.D., a neurologist and fellow of the American College of Nutrition and Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., R.D., a cardiology dietitian at Entirely Nourished.
Keep reading to learn more about how your daily cup of joe may offer you more than a jolt of energy and happiness.
Researchers tracked the self-reported coffee drinking habits of over 46,000 U.S. adults for nearly a decade. Participants disclosed how they drank their java. Regular or decaf? With sugar and milk or without? If with, how much? They then compared that information to National Death Index data to deduce how coffee consumption could have impacted mortality from all causes, including cancer and heart disease.
After examining the data, researchers found that drinking one to three cups of coffee per day was linked to a reduced risk of death from all causes, 'especially when the coffee is black or has minimal added sugar and saturated fat,' explains David Perlmutter, M.D., a neurologist and fellow of the American College of Nutrition. Specifically, they found that drinking black coffee or coffee with less than 2.5 grams (or a little more than a half-teaspoon) of sugar and less than a gram of saturated fat from milk or cream per 8-ounce cup was associated with a 14% lower risk of dying from any cause compared to not drinking coffee at all, Dr. Perlmutter adds.
The catch here is, the study also found that most Americans add around 3.2 grams of sugar and a half-gram of saturated fat to each mug, which means the majority of coffee drinkers are less likely to get its life-extending benefits. 'This is the problem with so many coffee specialty drinks that seem to be so popular,' Dr. Perlmutter says.
There is plenty of existing research that purports coffee's health boost. Without added sugar or fat, it's a naturally good source of antioxidants like polyphenols and chlorogenic acid, explains Dr. Purlmutter. 'These components and others help fight inflammation and oxidative stress,' he adds, both of which are contributors to chronic disease. That's how coffee may help reduce risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and congnitive decline, 'all of which influence lifespan,' he concludes.
Coffee's caffeine content can even exhibit perks by improving alertness, metabolism, and brain health, Dr. Pelrmutter says. However, there is such a thing as overdoing it and reaping negative side-effects such as anxiety, increased blood pressure, heart palpitations, digestive issues, and insomnia, says Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., R.D., a cardiology dietitian at Entirely Nourished.
She adds that a 'very high coffee intake may also slightly reduce calcium absorption, potentially affecting bone health.'
The study supports drinking one to three cups of black or minimally altered coffee per day. Dr. Perlmutter recommends keeping sugars below 2.5 grams and saturated fats below 1 gram per cup by using low-fat milk or plant-based creamer alternatives. Routhenstein adds that if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have otherwise been prescribed a specific caffeine intake, follow your doctor's recommendations.
Lastly, to avoid over-caffeination, Dr. Perlmutter suggests enforcing a 'coffee curfew' that marks the time of day after which you turn off the pot. 'I generally recommend 2 p.m. to minimize coffee's impact on sleep,' he concludes.
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