{"id":3250,"date":"2016-06-22T22:23:59","date_gmt":"2016-06-22T22:23:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/?p=3250"},"modified":"2022-07-25T19:07:00","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T19:07:00","slug":"is-coffee-good","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.humnutrition.com\/blog\/is-coffee-good\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Coffee Good for You? (+ Trends and Recipe)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n

Calling all coffee lovers! Is coffee good for you? We look at the science to find out.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

Yes, it\u2019s known for that burst of energy<\/a> that some people get headaches, or can\u2019t get out of bed, without. But have you ever thought more closely about the question, Is coffee good or bad for you?<\/em> According to several studies, it turns out your morning mug (or four) actually is. Good news: The World Health Organization recently dropped coffee\u2019s status as potentially cancer-causing. Next, according to Harvard\u2019s School of Public Health<\/a>, there are actually some serious health benefits to your tried-and-true daily iced coffee that you sip even in subzero temperatures. Today, we\u2019re delving into the research in detail and exploring some of the reasons coffee might be bad for you, depending on your health conditions. Plus: Don\u2019t miss out on some popular coffee trends that are brewing at the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n

Is Coffee Good For You?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n

An estimated 54 percent of American adults drink coffee every day (the average answer is \u201cI always drink three cups of coffee in the morning\u201d). The Harvard School of Public Health found that drinking up to six small cups of coffee is considered safe<\/a>, under most circumstances, and<\/em> delivers some major health benefits. For reference, the caffeine percentage in coffee, in your everyday 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee, is 96 milligrams<\/a> (64 milligrams in a shot of espresso), and it\u2019s safe to have about 400 milligrams of caffeine per day.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

So what does caffeine do to your body? Some of its winning health qualities: It can reduce your risk of heart disease, may lower your chances of developing type-2 diabetes by 6 percent<\/a>, could protect against gallstones, and can even reduce your risk of Parkinson\u2019s disease.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

A 2017 meta-analysis<\/a> supports the potential cardiovascular benefits, liver health benefits<\/a>, and even cognitive benefits of moderate coffee intake, according to Gaby Vaca-Flores<\/a>, RDN, CLE, the education specialist at HUM. \u201cOf course this doesn\u2019t apply to pregnant and breastfeeding<\/a> people,\u201d she adds, but more on that later. On top of those, regular coffee intake could potentially decrease your risk of depression<\/a>, thanks to its activation of dopamine in the brain.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Is Coffee Bad For Cholesterol?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n

This is one potential health question that comes up around the subject of coffee and cholesterol.\u00a0 Some studies suggest that a substance in coffee called cafestol can raise your LDL (bad) cholesterol. A typical coffee bean contains about a half percent of cafestol. If you don\u2019t filter your coffee, cafestol will make it into your bloodstream. In a two-year Norwegian study<\/a>, coffee increased serum cholesterol by eight percent in men and 10 percent in women. Simply filtering your morning brew reduces the amount of cafestol you drink.<\/p>\n\n\n

Who Should Cut Back On Coffee?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n

Always remember: One size doesn\u2019t fit all. Rather than relying on research only of the reasons why coffee is bad for you, or why coffee is good for you, conversely, listen to your body and see how you react to coffee individually. If it makes you anxious or activates symptoms of any mood disorders, prevents you from sleeping, or wreaks havoc with your digestion<\/a>, especially if you have heartburn or acid reflux, we suggest decreasing or eliminating your intake to see whether these symptoms prevail.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

Some people with certain health conditions like high blood pressure should cut back on their coffee intake, regardless of how coffee affects them, since caffeine can elevate blood pressure levels, Vaca-Flores explains. This also applies to you if you\u2019re pregnant or breastfeeding, she adds. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists<\/a> (ACOG) recommends that pregnant or breastfeeding people limit caffeine intake to 200 milligrams per day, which is about one 12-ounce cup of coffee to jump-start your day (and recover from a sleepless night, if you have pregnancy insomnia<\/a> or a newborn).\u00a0If, on the other hand, you don\u2019t fit into the above conditions and still love your daily cuppa\u2014and what it does for your energy<\/a> levels\u2014check out the following coffee trends and whip up our Superfood Frappuccino recipe below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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