Since our first milky latte, we’ve always loved coffee. So, we’re pretty lucky that it’s actually good for us. Well, the right kind and quantity, of course. Here’s what you need to know.

Is Coffee Good for You?

Is coffee good for you? Yes… in moderation. That’s great news for us (coffee lovers and purveyors), but it’s also great news for Australians most of whom drink at least one cup of coffee every week. But what does ‘in moderation mean’?

‘In moderation’ means four to five eight-ounce cups daily, or up to 400 milligrams of caffeine. This seems to be the amount that gives you the benefits from the coffee itself, without too many negative side effects that can come from too much caffeine.

Of course, some people do metabolise coffee more quickly, which means they’d be able to drink more without the side effects. (Fingers crossed this is us!)

What Are the Benefits of Drinking Coffee?

Before 2015, people in the Western world believed that coffee consumption was more harmful than good. But (luckily) since then researchers have focused more on this aspect of coffee drinking and found that most of the time, coffee is much more beneficial than harmful.

In fact, research shows that moderate coffee drinkers have less heart disease, heart attacks and strokes. Coffee also has a strong protective effects against Type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, cirrhosis, liver cancer and chronic liver disease. Essentially, it can help protect your heart, brain and liver. That’s pretty good.

Of course, it’s not great for everyone in every situation. For example, in pregnant women drinking coffee has been associated with lower birth weight.

What Kind of Coffee is Best?

 How your coffee is prepared can make a difference to how beneficial it is for you. For example, roasting creates more antioxidants (which reduce the risk of many diseases, including heart disease and certain cancers). Boiled coffee (such as the French press) releases cafestol and kahweol which raises your bad cholesterol and lowers the good kind, while filtered coffee does not. And, as you can imagine, espresso has the highest concentration of nutrients, antioxidants and other compounds because it has less water than other styles.

 What About Adding Milk and Sugar?

The next question is whether or not adding milk and/or sugar to your coffee cancels out any benefits from coffee generally.  

Adding Milk

Studies show that there are both benefits and drawbacks to adding cow’s milk to coffee. But at the end of the day, experts don’t recommend using whole milk simply because it’s high in carbohydrates and allergenic potential. Instead, they suggest using almond milk, or other non-dairy milks. 

Adding Sugar

Sugar has been widely condemned in popular media. And there are many studies that show the negative impacts of too much sugar in our diets. However, when it comes to coffee, studies are mixed as to its impact on the benefits of coffee generally.

Still, we know that sugar is high in calories, increases your risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes, may increase your risk of cancer and depression and can even cause your skin to age prematurely. At the end of the day, whether or not it impacts coffee’s benefits negatively may not be as important as how it impacts your health negatively.  

So, what’s the answer?

So what’s the answer to the question, is coffee good for you? Though we’d never presume to tell you how to enjoy your coffee, when it comes to maximising the health benefits, there is a best way to consume. And four (or five!) cups of filtered or espresso-style coffee with non-dairy milk seems to be the go. So, get out there, enjoy your coffee and reap the health benefits as well!

 Stay healthy! Order your delicious beneficial coffee beans from our shop today.