What’s the Deal with Coffee?
We drink a lot of the stuff, so we asked our Registered Dietitian, Tori, to give us the 101 on coffee.
Turns out, coffee does a lot of good. Here’s a quick rundown on “the good” and “the bad,” plus Tori’s tips for success.
The Good
Regular coffee contains caffeine (the stuff that perks ya up) and powerful antioxidants (compounds that defend your cells from damage). It’s showing promise to lower your risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease and neurological, metabolic, and liver conditions at around 300-400 mg caffeine per day (for reference, a Starbucks “Grande” brewed coffee has about 300-400 mg caffeine). As an added bonus, coffee has the potential to improve exercise performance.
Lower risk for cardiovascular disease (but not suitable for those with uncontrolled blood pressure)
300-400 mg caffeine per day from regular coffee showed lower risk of cardiovascular disease. However, unfiltered coffee (like boiled, French press, or Turkish coffee) is associated with increased cholesterol. Those with uncontrolled high blood pressure should limit caffeine consumption.
Lower risk of cancer, Parkinson’s Disease, depression, and Alzheimers and it’s even good for your liver!
This is possibly due to caffeine or antioxidants, but the mechanism is unknown.
Lower all-cause mortality
Caffeinated and decaf coffee were associated with lower all-cause mortality (which is a fancy way of saying a reduced risk of death overall).
Improved exercise performance
The caffeine from 1-2 cups of coffee an hour before endurance or high intensity exercise can improve your exercise and decrease your perception of fatigue. We’ll take it!
As an FYI, most of the positive benefits from coffee were seen with regular coffee, not decaf, which might be because some antioxidants are lost during the decaffeination process.
The Bad
Take caution when drinking coffee and other caffeinated beverages if you’re pregnant or have high blood pressure or bone disease. Caffeine at high levels can lead to cardiac arrhythmias, anxiety, restlessness and sleep disturbance.
Pregnancy risk for low birth weight and miscarriage
The World Health Organization recommends no more than 200-300mg caffeine per day for pregnant women.
Uncontrolled blood pressure
High amounts of coffee or caffeinated beverages can raise blood pressure.
Risk for bone fracture in women, but not men
Caffeine may influence calcium absorption, but there is no conclusive evidence of this at around 400 mg caffeine (about the same amount of caffeine in a Starbucks “Grande” brewed coffee) a day.
Tips for Success
The decadent coffee drinks at your fave spot can contain enough calories and added sugar to take the place of a meal, while lacking all of the nutrients you would get from eating whole foods. Make them a “special occasion” kinda thing, and on your next coffee date, try skipping the whip and ask for fewer pumps in your “Orange Mocha Frappuccino”.
References
Higdon J. Coffee. Oregon State University Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center website. http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/coffee#bioactive-compounds. Updated June 2017. Accessed May 10, 2019.
Mental Performance & Sports Performance Overview. Coffee and Health, Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee website. https://www.coffeeandhealth.org/topic-overview/overview/. Updated July 2017. Accessed May 10, 2019.
Poole R, Kennedy OJ, Roderick P, Fallowfield JA, Hayes PC, Parkes J. Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes. BMJ. 2017;359:j5024.
Caffeine and Athletic Performance. https://www.sportsrd.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Caffeine_and_Athletic_Performance_WEB.pdf Accessed July 25, 2019