Like many things in health and nutrition, when it comes to coffee, the answer to “is coffee healthy or not?” is: it depends.
I could easily write an entire blog post about all of the problems with coffee and I could just as easily write a post about why it is one of the healthiest things you can drink. At the end of the day, it depends on many factors, including biochemistry, the source of the beans, when and how it is consumed, and much more.
Certainly, some absolutes remain true: that artificial sweeteners, sugar, and especially hydrogenated and sugar-laden processed creamer blends are not health-promoting and can be avoided.
The Science on Coffee
Coffee was once considered bad for us, and now I see a new article each week about its health-promoting benefits, both for drinking it or in use as a detoxifying enema. Which research is correct?
Older research often looked at just the question of “is coffee healthy” by itself and didn’t necessarily adjust for factors like the increased likelihood of smoking, excessive sitting, or a high stress lifestyle in people who also drank a lot of coffee.
More modern research that makes these adjustments seems to find no correlation between coffee consumption (at least in moderate levels) and risk of heart disease, stroke or cancer. In fact, I’ve seen some studies showing a decreased risk of these diseases in moderate coffee drinkers.
The Mayo Clinic reported that:
Studies have shown that coffee may have health benefits, including protecting against Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes and liver disease, including liver cancer. It also appears to improve cognitive function and decrease the risk of depression.
Potential Problems with Coffee Consumption
There are a few ways it can be potentially harmful:
- Caffeine: The habit of needing coffee can signal a problem with adrenal health or intolerance to caffeine. At the same time, consuming the same substance every single day can lead to dependence, especially when considering a substance like caffeine. My solution? Even when I’m drinking coffee, I don’t consume it every day and I make sure to add some extra health boosting ingredients to increase the nutritional value
- Pesticides: Coffee beans are a highly sprayed crop. I haven’t seen any research indicating that there is an increased cancer risk with non-organic coffee, but I stick to organic beans to avoid the pesticide exposure.
- Mold: Dave Asprey has give the problem of mycotoxins (mold toxins) mainstream exposure and coffee is a notoriously high mycotoxin beverage. As he explains: “Mycotoxins are damaging compounds created by molds which grow on coffee beans (among other things). These compounds cause all sorts of health problems like cardiomyopathy, cancer, hypertension, kidney disease, and even brain damage. They also make your coffee taste bitter, like it needs sugar.” He goes on to explain that not all coffee has this problems but that the source matters:”“Blends” of coffee are bad news because they mix cheap beans from multiple areas, almost guaranteeing that you’ll get some moldy ones. This is why its important to buy your coffee from a single estate, as outlined in the process for finding the highest performance coffee in your city. If you drink mass market coffee, the beans in your grinder may come from several countries. It’s the same logic that tells you not to eat a hamburger made from the meat of 10,000 animals.Decaf coffee is even worse. Caffeine is a natural anti-insect and antifungal defense mechanism for the plant. It deters mold and other organisms from growing on the beans. Mold is everywhere, but caffeine helps prevent it from growing on the beans while they’re in storage. When you remove the caffeine, your beans are defenseless. Decaf coffee is higher in both aflatoxin and ochratoxin. This is one of the reasons decaf tastes like camel sweat”. (source)
Potential Benefits of Drinking Coffee
- Increased Performance: From Kris Gunnars “Caffeine’s primary mechanism in the brain is blocking the effects of an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine. By blocking the inhibitory effects of Adenosine, caffeine actually increases neuronal firing in the brain and the release of other neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine (source, source). Many controlled trials have examined the effects of caffeine on the brain, demonstrating that caffeine can improve mood, reaction time, memory, vigilance and general cognitive function (source).” There are studies showing that coffee can help improve athletic performance, mobilize fat from cells, and increase stamina.
- Antioxidants: Coffee is one of nature’s potent antioxidant sources and recent studies have shown that most Americans get more antioxidants from coffee than from any other source. While it is good that we are at least getting antioxidants, it is sad that we aren’t getting more from nutrient dense fruits and vegetables, vitamin C rich foods, or natural sources of Astaxanthin (a potent antioxidant). High quality coffee may be great in moderation but it is important to balance this by consuming other antioxidant-rich foods and drinks from other natural sources
- Lower risk of mental disorders and diabetes: From Dave: “Long term coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of type-2 diabetes. The more coffee you drink, the lower the risk. Coffee consumption is associated with increased insulin sensitivity and improved beta cell function. People who drink six or more cups of coffee per day are 50 percent less likely to develop diabetes.”
- Some great uses for used coffee grounds such as homemade beauty products, natural stainer, and compost.
My Favorite Coffee Brands
Four Sigmatic – If you follow the podcast, you’ve probably heard me profess my love for Four Sigmatic coffee. It contains adaptogenic mushrooms (yes, mushrooms) for an extra boost of natural energy. I never feel jittery on this coffee and the taste is amazing. They sell both grounds for brewed coffee and small instant packets that I carry with me when I travel.
Purity Coffee – I’ve tried a lot of organic coffee brands at this point, and this one is my favorite of them all! Listen to this podcast to hear about the founder’s extremely quality high standards for their coffee. Purity Coffee screens all of their coffee for mold (they have a zero tolerance policy), toxins, and sustainable growing practices. All of that is secondary to how great this coffee tastes. It’s bold and smooth and hits all the right notes. (And I might need to go make another cup…)
Caveman Coffee – Caveman has a ready to drink nitro coffee that is low acid and really good (strong though… equal to three shots of espresso) and their regular coffee beans are great too.
A mix of the above – My husband insists the perfect cup of Joe comes from mixing Four Sigmatic and Purity in a 50/50 blend, and I tend to agree 😉
The Bottom Line
Coffee can be great if your body tolerates it and if it comes from a good source. I personally eliminate it every few weeks just to test mental performance with and without it. I also don’t drink coffee when I’m on a strict autoimmune diet, but I seem to do ok when reintroducing it.
Also, if I drink coffee, I make it with added nutrients using recipes like these:
- Superfood Dalgona Coffee Recipe
- Basic Nutrient Boost Coffee
- Superfood Vanilla Latte
- Salted Caramel Latte
- Peppermint Mocha
Coffee has its benefits, but antioxidants are plentiful in many natural foods and drinks, so if you aren’t a fan of worlds most popular morning beverage, don’t sweat it! Drink some quality herbal tea instead.
Is coffee a guilty pleasure of yours? How do you drink it or do you avoid it completely? Share below!
Good post — wonderful blog!
I’m an avid coffee drinker, and do it by choice. Looking at what people drink, I think there are two additional problem to discuss in conjunction with coffee consumption.
1– sugar. Whether you add sugar or artificial sweeteners, this is where your problem is, not so much with the coffee itself. Most (if not all) of the “fun” “trendy” drinks out there are exceptionally loaded with sugar. For me, sugar is the enemy. There is rarely good or any stevia offered with your coffee, and those sugary syrups are everywhere.
2– cost. How much money are you spending on your coffee, and are you really counting it? I think that being proactive about your budget is an essential ingredient in a healthy lifestyle. If you buy one cup (just one! most coffee drinkers have more) a day, it would run you between $3 and 5$. Lets say, $4 on average. $4 a day, 25 days a month (maybe you make your coffee at home on some days), that is $1200 a year!!!!! Can you perhaps think of something better you could do with $1200?
Keep up the good work!
Rachel
Great article! One additional consideration that might be worth mentioning though is how the coffee is prepared. Its not as big of a deal in america because most people drink drip coffee, but boiled coffee (e.g. french press, turkish coffee, cold press coffee) is associated with increased circulating levels of several inflammatory markers . So if you have any sort of inflammatory condition it might be worth it to avoid the french press, even if you like the taste better.
Hi Wellness Mama,
Maybe a strange question, but…I love my morning coffee and have really only been drinking a cup daily for about a year. Well I have also had an issue with chronic yeast infections for the last year. I have always had issues with these infections but not as consistent as I do right now. I also have Hashimotos (diagnosed 9 years ago). Do you know if coffee consumption and chronic yeast infections can be related? I really enjoy having my one cup of coffee in the am and really don’t want to give it up indefinitely but…
Thank you!
It would be worth trying at least. Even when I drink coffee, I occasionally give it up for a few weeks or a month just to retest and make sure I’m not dependent on it 🙂
What can you tell me about Gerson Therapy that treats cancer with coffee enemas and lots of juice? Is there anything to this approach? Can it really detoxify the body and help fight cancer? Also someone told me, that if you drink black caffee you git the antioxidant, but as soon as you add milk,cream, coconut milk and sweets you blocks the antioxidant ? Love your articals and your recipes. Thank you…????
Hi Katie,
Maybe a strange question here but….I have been drinking coffee daily for the past year (just a cup a day) and have also had issues with chronic yeast infections for the past year. It just dawned on me that the two may be related. I also have Hashimotos. Do you happen to know if it’s possible that the infections may be related to the coffee? I am trying to stop drinking my cup of coffee in the am but I really enjoy it and I’m having a hard time kicking it. 🙁
Thanks!
I stick to moderation and drinking coffee when I feel like it, rather than based on a need. My favorite is having coffee in bed – I have 3 kids and it’s such a welcome self-treat when I get to do this! I also put maca root powder in it, for me, the caffeine effects doesn’t come strong and I think the maca “smoothes” out the buzz and carries me through the day with mental acuteness. I tried followed directions for maca with water to get a feel for my dosage and effects. I use very little and I like the taste of it in my coffee.
Katie, do you drink coffee while pregnant and/or nursing?
Not regularly, but I did a couple times a week and always made sure it was organic…
No one has mentioned the sleep disruption factor. I am a post menopausal woman and sleeping doesn’t come as easily me (or to many of my post menopausal friends) as it used to. I have gotten completely away from coffee (I love it as much as the next person, but…..) . Every night I drink some type of herbal tea blend that promotes sleep and in the daytime I have learned to love Maté. Maté says it has caffeine but it is not the jangled kind. I feel great afterwards and I enjoy while I am drinking. Three times a year I drink a really good cup of coffee and just know that I will be awake until at least 4AM. The price I pay.
Living with chronic sleep disruption has wide reaching effects on my life.
IT’S A BIT PREMATURE BUT I JUST BOUGHT A SMALL BOOK CALLED “THE INSOMNIA SOLUTION” BY MICHAEL KRUGMAN. I JUST STARTED TO READ IT SO I DO NOT KNOW IF THE TECHNIQUES WORK BUT IF YOU WANT TO CHECK IT OUT GOOGLE SOUNDERSLEEP.COM. I GOT THE BOOK FROM AMAZON FOR $ .01 + 3.99 SHIPPING. I’M READING THE FIRST PART OF THE BOOK WHICH THEN SEGUES INTO THE ACTUAL SIMPLE TECHNIQUES HE HAS USED THAT ARE SO EFFECTIVE.
Wellness Mama, A long time ago I had the same problem with caffee, my hubby read a book of Dr. Sherry Rogers and he told me to stop drinking caffee, or at list don’t drink it after 10 AM, and he said have Natural calm its a premian Balanced Magnesium- Calciom Drink in a powder form. I had this one Hour before Bed time… I sleep like a baby. ???????? i also took Liquid Magnesium soft gels: 400 MG. Every morninig … I also have on hand.. melatonin caps and Lobelia Herbal supplements to help me sleep on days that I’ve had caffee late in the afternoon. “It worked for me.” But if You Google Dr. Sherry Rogers she has some really good books. On exalent read!
Great article. Would love a few resources or brands that are Organic single Estate and taste great? You’ve mentioned Bulletproof in the past. Any others?
Thanks so much!
Kristen
Good point. I’ll work on a review post on this.
Our family LOVE coffee! My husband and I actually bought a small roasting company in Denton, TX about two years ago. It has grown into a fun little business for our family and we sell organic, fair trade coffee. We roast locally and enjoy coffee most mornings with raw butter, raw milk or coconut oil. We also use it in cooking chili, brownies, sometimes in ice cream etc. Our website is http://www.bookishcoffee.com if anyone would ever like to order a bag! We would love to share our coffee to other health fans!
Much Love from Texas and happy drinking!
Emily