I guzzle black filter coffee like water. I enjoy two to three mugs usually a day. However, lately I've started to think that maybe this is too much? So I thought I would do some research and it turns out I might actually be doing something healthy for my body.
Multiple studies have found that a daily coffee intake of four cups is a safe amount. Even federal dietary guidelines suggest three to five eight-ounce cups of coffee per day (providing up to 400 milligrams of caffeine) can be a part of a healthy diet.
You can go overboard though, as Dr. Steven Nissen, Chief Academic Officer of the Heart and Vascular Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, has said that there isn't a specific daily limit that would apply to everyone, but drinking more than four to five cups provides for more caffeine than he would recommend.
As long as you limit cream and sugar, coffee isn't fattening like other caffeine-based substances such as energy drinks and soda. The calorie content in a plain cup of brewed coffee is next to nothing, and there's no fat either. But add in those yummy calories and you would be doing your body a disservice. And by the looks of the Starbucks menu, lots of people do.
Specialty types of coffee, however, like French press coffee, boiled Scandinavian brew and espresso, possess a powerful cholesterol-booster and can raise cholesterol levels by 6 to 8 percent. So keep that in mind if your cholesterol level is already high.
Studies show that people who drink coffee regularly may have an 11% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than non-drinkers, thanks to ingredients in coffee that can affect levels of hormones involved in metabolism.
Coffee may even help you live longer. A recent study involving more than 208,000 men and women found that people who drank coffee regularly were less likely to die prematurely than those who didn’t drink coffee. Researchers believe that some of the chemicals in coffee may help reduce inflammation, which has been found to play a role in a number of aging-related health problems, including dementia and Alzheimer’s. Some evidence also suggests that coffee may slow down some of the metabolic processes that drive aging. So I'm loving that, am I right ladies?!
So it sounds to me like drinking coffee without creamer or sugar in smaller amounts of around three cups a day could do me some good, and keep me looking fresh.
That put my mind at rest, so caffeinate and carry on!