Coffee has a large number of loyal fans for its rich aroma and mellow taste. In recent years, coffee has become more and more popular. However, there are many claims that coffee causes cancer, is bad for the heart, causes insomnia, etc. Many articles also list the various harms of coffee.

Is drinking coffee really harmful to health? Is it good to drink coffee regularly? Today we will talk about coffee and health.

1. Does coffee cause cancer?

Some people say that coffee contains acrylamide, a carcinogen, and drinking coffee can cause cancer.

In fact, after a comprehensive analysis of existing studies, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) believes that there is not enough evidence to show that drinking coffee increases the risk of human cancer. The International Cancer Research Fund WRCF's Food and Cancer Analysis Report released in 2017 pointed out that there is currently no evidence that drinking coffee can cause cancer. At the same time, there is some evidence that coffee can reduce the risk of certain cancers, such as breast cancer, endometrial cancer and liver cancer. Therefore, you don't have to worry too much about drinking coffee causing cancer.

2. Is coffee bad for your heart?

Some people experience palpitations, headaches and other problems after drinking coffee, so there has always been a saying that coffee is bad for the heart and is not conducive to cardiovascular health.

However, international authoritative organizations in the field of heart disease research do not think so. For example, the American Heart Association, the European Society of Cardiology, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Association and other organizations believe that healthy adults drinking coffee in moderation (about 1-2 cups of coffee a day) will not increase the risk of heart disease and cardiovascular disease.

However, some people who are sensitive to caffeine may experience discomfort such as accelerated heartbeat, nausea, and dizziness, but this phenomenon is not unique to drinking coffee. Many people also experience it when drinking tea. This phenomenon is very similar to what we traditionally call "tea drunkenness", so there is no need to worry too much.

If you really feel uncomfortable in your heart or dizziness after drinking coffee, try not to drink it or drink less; if there is no reaction, then feel free to drink it.

3. Does drinking coffee cause osteoporosis ?

Some people also think that drinking coffee will increase calcium loss and lead to osteoporosis.

Coffee does increase calcium loss, and too much caffeine increases the risk of osteoporosis. China's "Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Osteoporosis (2017 Edition)" suggests that drinking a lot of coffee and tea will affect calcium absorption and increase the risk of osteoporosis.

However, this doesn't mean we can't drink coffee at all.

First of all, the calcium loss caused by coffee is not as terrible as everyone imagines. Caffeine is metabolized very quickly in the human body and has a good diuretic effect. After drinking coffee, you may feel that you have to go to the toilet more frequently. In fact, it is the effect of caffeine. Data shows that the caffeine in each cup of coffee only increases calcium loss by 2 to 3 mg.

Secondly, if you add some milk when drinking coffee, the calcium obtained from the milk can play a good complementary role, so you don’t have to worry too much about this loss.

Therefore, most health organizations believe that healthy adults can drink coffee in moderation. The International Osteoporosis Association and the National Osteoporosis Association of the United States recommend that daily coffee intake be controlled within 3 cups.

We need to remind everyone that osteoporosis is a disease caused by multiple factors. For osteoporosis patients, in addition to properly controlling the intake of caffeinated beverages, they should also maintain a balanced diet to ensure adequate calcium and vitamin intake, and also pay attention to moderate exercise and ensure adequate sunlight exposure.

4. Does coffee cause diabetes?

Some people also say that today's coffee has a high sugar content and drinking too much can cause diabetes.

In fact, drinking pure black coffee is good for your health. The "Food and Health - Scientific Evidence Consensus" of the Chinese Nutrition Society points out that drinking coffee in moderation (about 3-4 cups a day) may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. The International Diabetes Federation, the American Diabetes Association and other organizations believe that diabetic patients can drink coffee in moderation, and pure coffee can be part of a healthy diet.

However, it should be noted that many "coffees" on the market now have sugar added, which is not good for diabetics. In fact, the coffee used in the current research on the health benefits of coffee actually refers to pure black coffee without any additives. Therefore, it is recommended that when drinking coffee, you should try to choose pure black coffee without adding sugar.

5. Can coffee cause insomnia?

Many people become inexplicably excited and unable to sleep at night after drinking coffee. Therefore, there has always been a saying that coffee can cause insomnia.

Indeed, caffeine has a certain central nervous system stimulant effect, which is why many white-collar workers like to drink coffee to perk themselves up at work.

However, this does not mean that coffee will cause insomnia. In fact, everyone's sensitivity to caffeine is different. Some people who are more sensitive to caffeine may affect their sleep, but some people may not have any effect.

It is recommended that you can adjust according to your own situation. For example, if you can't sleep well at night after drinking coffee, try not to drink it or drink less; if drinking coffee has no effect on sleep, then there is no need to worry.

6. How much coffee is appropriate to drink every day?

From the current perspective, moderate coffee consumption will not harm our health.

So, how much coffee is appropriate to drink every day?

• Healthy adults: 3-5 cups per day is appropriate.

At present, many authoritative health organizations in the world, such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Food Safety Authority, the Canadian Ministry of Health, the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards Agency, etc., believe that it is appropriate for healthy adults to consume no more than 210-400 mg of caffeine per day ( approximately equivalent to 3-5 cups of coffee ).

• Pregnant women: It is not recommended for pregnant women to drink coffee. If they do drink it, it should not exceed 2 cups per day.

If you really want to drink, pregnant women can drink, but you should pay attention to reducing the amount of coffee you drink, which is about half of that of ordinary people. The Canadian Ministry of Health, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the American Pregnancy and Childbirth Association and other institutions believe that you can drink a small amount of coffee during pregnancy (no more than 150-300 mg of caffeine per day, about 2 cups) . Of course, we do not encourage pregnant women to drink coffee, so don't drink it if you can.

• Children and adolescents: Caffeine intake should be limited.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and adolescents do not drink coffee, so children should try not to drink coffee. As parents, we should also help children control their intake of coffee, tea and other caffeinated beverages.

But this does not mean that drinking coffee will be harmful to children. There is no need to worry about drinking a small amount occasionally. The US Food and Drug Administration, the European Food Safety Authority, the Canadian Ministry of Health, the Australian New Zealand Food Standards Agency and other agencies believe that it is safe for children and adolescents to consume no more than 2.5-3 mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight per day (for children and adolescents weighing 30 kg, it is about 75-100 mg of caffeine)], which is about a cup of coffee.

References:

Scientific consensus on coffee and health.