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.
For those who drink coffee, experts suggest brewing it with a paper filter, because unfiltered coffee is associated with higher rates of early death, and can contain compounds that raise levels of LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol.
The coffee with the least amount of pesticides used is organic coffee. Shade-grown coffee does not have a lot of pesticides or fertilizers used during their production.
Medium roasts are most potent in the polyphenol chlorogenic acid (CGA), a powerful antioxidant that gives coffee its health-boosting benefits. CGA helps with everything from reducing inflammation to repairing cell damage, lowering cholesterol and improving your complexion.
Did You Know? Filtered coffee may be better for you than French press coffee or the espresso version. This is due to cafestol, one of the chemicals present in coffee which is known to raise levels of LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol.
Many people think espresso and coffee are two distinct beverages, but they're actually just different brewing methods. Both types of drinks have similar benefits, although light- to medium-roasted coffee has a slight edge over espresso for supporting heart health, cognitive health, metabolic health, and more.
During the espresso brewing method, hot water runs through coffee grounds with high pressure for no more than 30 seconds. Because of this, fewer stomach-irritating substances are released into the drink. So the espresso is actually easier on your stomach than other coffee brews.
Their report, presented here at the 239th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, included the counter-intuitive finding that espresso, French roast, and other dark-roasted coffee may be easier on the tummy because these roasts contain a substance that tells the stomach to reduce production of acid.
Improved Liver Health
Drinking dark roast coffee every day can help reduce your risk of liver cirrhosis, or the scarring of the liver.
Dark Roasts - a study published in 2010 found that dark roast coffee is easier on the stomach than light roasts because it produces an ingredient that prevents hydrochloric acid from building up in the stomach.
In the case of organic coffee, there are no synthetic fertilizers or chemicals used in growing or production, which means cleaner beans, air, land, and water. The coffee is grown with only organic fertilizers, like coffee pulp, chicken manure, or compost.
The verdict: In terms of antioxidant content, blonde roasts are healthiest. Blonde Robusta coffee has the most antioxidants, followed closely by blonde and then medium-roast Arabica coffee.
Dark roasts
Dark roast coffees tend to be less acidic because they contain fewer compounds that cause stomach cells to produce acid.
High intake of boiled, unfiltered coffee has been associated with mild increase in cholesterol levels. The bottom line? Your coffee habit is probably fine and may even have some benefits. But if you have side effects from coffee, such as heartburn, nervousness or insomnia, consider cutting back.
“It is easy to conclude that regular consumption of caffeine entails more demerits than benefits. The disturbances in the blood sugar levels due to caffeine's stress response can also result in weight gain, insulin resistance, substance dependency, and other lifestyle disorders” explains the nutritionist.
Prior studies have also found moderate amounts of black coffee — between 3 and 5 cups daily — has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, as well as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, type 2 diabetes, liver disease and prostate cancer.
Since people with fatty liver disease often have problems like diabetes and obesity, it's especially important not to add extra fat and sugar to your coffee. “Black coffee is best,” Dr. Wakim-Fleming says.
There is no clear evidence that suggests drinking decaffeinated coffee is specifically good for the liver. However, drinking moderate amounts of coffee in general has been associated with a lower risk of liver disease, including liver cancer and cirrhosis.
And studies show coffee may protect against liver disease. Most of the benefits are thanks to antioxidants. A large 2021 study found that drinking coffee was associated with a lower risk of liver disease. Effects were similar for both regular and decaf coffee.
Ginger has been shown to reduce inflammation and decrease the chances of stomach acid from rolling up into the esophagus, making it a great natural coffee substitute for acid reflux.
The acid in coffee can irritate your digestive tract. Choose coffee substitutes like green tea or low-acid coffee brands like Golden Ratio to give your stomach a break and an anti-inflammatory effect. Brands that are low-acid are also a gentler approach to that morning cup.
You can always just add a little milk or cream to your coffee to reduce its acid content, as milk and cream are acidity neutralizers. They are easy, affordable, and tasty options to consider, but not everybody can handle dairy, so acid reducers are a good option for lactose-intolerant people and vegans.
It also is a much healthier choice than the normal types of coffee that many people drink throughout the day. Instead of loading up with sugars and creams, espresso can be enjoyed as is, leaving out those extra calories and fats. You can get that energy boost without sacrificing your health.
Ask for Espresso
But espresso is known for being easier on the stomach for a couple of reasons. First, the combination of high pressure and short extraction time produces a different balance of chemical compounds than the same coffee would in a drip or pour over brew.