Hu said that moderate coffee intake—about 2–5 cups a day—is linked to a lower likelihood of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver and endometrial cancers, Parkinson's disease, and depression. It's even possible that people who drink coffee can reduce their risk of early death.
Foods that contain antioxidants are good for your health. Coffee contains high levels of antioxidants. When you drink coffee daily, you increase your levels of protective antioxidants. This is good news for those who have a daily coffee habit.
Coffee still has potential risks, mostly due to its high caffeine content. For example, it can temporarily raise blood pressure. Women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding need to be cautious about caffeine.
Caffeine itself can cause your body to produce extra cortisol. And while cortisol isn't always bad (the steroid hormone helps maintain healthy blood pressure levels and regulates blood sugar), high cortisol levels can affect your body's ability to regulate inflammation.
Coffee is a delicious way to start your day, and it can also help jump-start your goal to lose belly fat. For example, caffeine has been known to help boost your metabolism as well as reduce feelings of hunger, both of which can support weight management.
Not partaking in caffeine can be good for your blood pressure. Caffeine has been shown to raise blood pressure levels due to the stimulatory effect it has on the nervous system. High intake of caffeine — 3 to 5 cups per day — has also been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Based purely on its composition, coffee should win hands down: a cup of tea has about half the dose (40 milligrams) of the stimulant caffeine that you would find in a standard cup of brewed filter coffee (80 to 115 milligrams).
As a general rule, you can assume that an average 8-ounce (240-ml) cup of coffee offers around 100 mg of caffeine. Several sources suggest that 400 mg of caffeine per day — the equivalent of 4 cups (945 ml) of coffee — is safe for most healthy adults ( 3 , 5 ).
The high acidity of coffee can interfere with your hormones and impact the amount of oil your skin produces. Coffee drinks with dairy products increase your risk of developing acne. Dehydration from coffee and other drinks such as soda or alcohol may also cause skin redness or inflammation.
For healthy adults, the FDA has cited 400 milligrams a day—that's about four or five cups of coffee—as an amount not generally associated with dangerous, negative effects.
Drink it black
The healthiest way to drink coffee is plain with nothing added — also known as drinking it black. Dr. Hashmi explains, “Ideally, you shouldn't put sugar in your coffee.
In this battle over health benefits, coffee comes out on top. Coffee drinkers can raise a mug to fiber, microbiome health and lowering risk for cancer and diabetes. But tea drinkers, do not despair. Tea is undoubtedly good for your blood pressure, cholesterol, stress levels, mental health and productivity.
Studies also show that coffee has protective effects on the kidneys, thanks to antioxidants. Drinking coffee is associated with a lower risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD).
The healthiest way to take your coffee is hot-brewed and black. One cup has virtually no calories or carbs, no fat, and is low in sodium. Black coffee also has micronutrients, including potassium, magnesium, and niacin.
Withdrawal Symptoms
If caffeine is a big part of your daily diet, taking it away can have a host of unpleasant effects in the short term. These include headache, tiredness, sleepiness, down moods, trouble concentrating, and crankiness. You'll start to feel symptoms a day or two after you stop.
Although things were bad for the first few days, by the third day, I started feeling the benefits of quitting coffee. I was sleeping better and it was easier to wake up in the morning. I had more energy throughout the day, and I could think more clearly. Perhaps most surprisingly, I was experiencing less anxiety.
Coffee Can Increase Your Metabolic Rate
The higher your metabolic rate, the easier it is for you to lose weight and the more you can eat without gaining weight. Studies show that caffeine can increase RMR by 3–11%, with larger doses having a greater effect ( 11 , 12 ).
Black coffee is best for weight loss as it does not contain added sugars or fats that can contribute to weight gain, Shaw says. However, if you like your coffee sweet, here are some low-calorie alternative sweeteners to use: Fruit-based sweeteners like erythritol or monk fruit extract.