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Coffee is one of the world's most popular beverages. It contains a very popular stimulant called caffeine.
Many people reach for a cup of this caffeinated beverage immediately after rising, whereas others believe it's more beneficial to hold off for a few hours.
<p>This article explains when the best time to drink coffee is to maximize its benefits and minimize its side effects.</p>
<p><em>Reposted with permission from </em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/" target="_blank"><em>Healthline</em></a><em>. For detailed source information, please view the original article on </em><em><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-time-to-drink-coffee" target="_blank">Healthline</a></em><em>.</em></p>
Cortisol and Coffee
<p>Many people enjoy a cup — or three — of coffee upon rising or shortly thereafter.</p><p>However, it's thought that drinking coffee too soon after rising decreases its energizing effects, as your stress hormone cortisol is <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ways-to-lower-cortisol" target="_blank">at its peak level</a> at this time.</p><p>Cortisol is a hormone that can enhance alertness and focus. It also regulates your metabolism, immune system response, and blood pressure.</p><p>The hormone follows a rhythm specific to your sleep-wake cycle, with high levels that peak 30–45 minutes after rising and slowly decline throughout the rest of the day.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3486742/" target="_blank"></a></p><p>That said, it has been suggested that the best time to drink coffee is mid- to late-morning when your cortisol level is lower.</p><p>For most people who get up around 6:30 a.m., this time is between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m.</p><p>While there may be some truth to this, no studies to date have observed any superior energizing effects with delaying your morning coffee, compared with <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-on-empty-stomach" target="_blank">drinking it immediately upon rising</a>.</p><p>Another reason why it has been suggested that you should delay your morning coffee is that the caffeine from coffee can increase cortisol levels.</p><p>Drinking coffee when your cortisol level is at its peak may further increase levels of this hormone. Elevated levels of cortisol over long periods can impair your immune system, causing health problems.</p><p>Still, there have been no long-term studies on the health implications of elevated cortisol from drinking coffee.</p><p>Moreover, caffeine-induced increases in cortisol tend to be reduced in people who regularly consume caffeine.</p><p>That said, there's likely no harm if you prefer to drink coffee upon rising rather than several hours thereafter.</p><p>But if you're willing to change up your morning coffee ritual, you may find that delaying your coffee intake a few hours may give you more energy.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>The best time to drink coffee is thought to be 9:30–11:30 a.m. when most people's cortisol level is lower. Whether this is true, remains to be determined. Caffeine can increase cortisol, but the long-term health implications of this are unknown.</p>Coffee Can Boost Exercise Performance
<p>Coffee is known for its ability to promote wakefulness and increase alertness, but the beverage is also an effective <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/caffeine-and-exercise" target="_blank">exercise performance enhancer</a> because of its caffeine content.</p><p>Plus, coffee can be a much cheaper alternative to caffeine-containing supplements like pre-workout powders.</p><p>Several studies have demonstrated that caffeine can delay exercise fatigue and improve muscle strength and power.</p><p>While it may not make a significant difference whether you choose to enjoy your coffee upon rising or several hours thereafter, the effects of the caffeine from coffee on exercise performance are time-dependent.</p><p>If you're looking to optimize coffee's beneficial effects on exercise performance, it's best to consume the beverage 30–60 minutes before a workout or sporting event.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20205813" target="_blank"></a></p><p>This is the time it takes caffeine levels to peak in your body.</p><p>The effective dose of caffeine for improving exercise performance is 1.4–2.7 mg per pound (3–6 mg per kg) of body weight.<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20205813" target="_blank"></a></p><p>For a 150-pound (68-kg) person, this equates to about 200–400 mg of caffeine, or 2–4 cups (475–950 mL) of coffee.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>The exercise performance benefits of caffeine from coffee can be experienced within 30–60 minutes of drinking the beverage.</p>Anxiety and Sleep Problems
<p>Caffeine in coffee can promote wakefulness and increase exercise performance, but it can also cause problems with sleep and anxiety in some people.</p><p>The stimulating effects of caffeine from coffee last 3–5 hours, and depending on individual differences, about half of the total caffeine you consume remains in your body after 5 hours.</p><p>Consuming coffee too close to bedtime, such as with dinner, can cause <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/17-tips-to-sleep-better" target="_blank">sleeping problems</a>.</p><p>To avoid caffeine's disruptive effects on sleep, it's recommended to avoid consuming caffeine for a minimum of 6 hours before bed.</p><p>In addition to sleep problems, caffeine can increase anxiety in some people.</p><p>If you have <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/anxiety-disorder-symptoms" target="_blank">anxiety</a>, you may find that drinking coffee makes it worse, in which case, you may need to consume less or avoid the beverage completely.</p><p>You can also try switching to green tea, which contains one-third of the caffeine in coffee.</p><p>The beverage also provides the amino acid L-theanine, which has relaxing and calming properties.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Caffeine can cause sleep problems when it's consumed too close to bedtime. The stimulant may also increase anxiety in some people.</p>How Much Coffee is Safe?
<p>Healthy individuals can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine daily — the equivalent of about 4 cups (950 mL) of coffee.<span></span></p><p>The recommendation for pregnant and nursing women is 300 mg of caffeine daily, with some research suggesting that the safe upper limit is 200 mg daily.<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28603504/" target="_blank"></a></p><p>These recommendations for <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-coffee-should-you-drink" target="_blank">safe caffeine intake</a> include caffeine from all sources.</p><p>Other common sources of caffeine include tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, and even dark chocolate.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Healthy adults can consume up to 400 mg of caffeine per day, whereas pregnant and nursing women can safely consume up to 300 mg per day, with some research suggesting that 200 mg is the safe limit.</p>The Bottom Line
<p>Coffee is a popular beverage that's enjoyed throughout the world.</p><p>It has been suggested that the best time to drink coffee is mid- to late-morning when your cortisol level is lower, but research on this topic is lacking.</p><p>Consuming coffee 30–60 minutes before your workout or sporting event can help delay fatigue and increase muscle strength and power.</p><p>Keep in mind that the stimulating effects of caffeine from <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee" target="_blank">coffee</a> can cause sleep problems if consumed too close to bedtime, as well as increase anxiety in some people.</p>
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A makeshift refugee camp about five or six months after the collapse of the Casitas Volcano (in background) in the wake of Hurricane Mitch. This photo was taken near Posoltega, Nicaragua, early April, 1999. Bob Ramsak / piran café / Flickr
Clouds of dust rose behind the wheels of the pickup truck as we hurtled over the back road in Palo Verde, El Salvador. When we got to the stone-paved part of the road, the driver slowed as the truck heaved up and down with the uneven terrain. Riding in the back bed of the truck, Ruben (not his real name) and I talked while we held on tight, sitting on sacks of dried beans that he was taking to market.
<p>"It doesn't come out right," he said, "it just doesn't pay anymore to work the land. I take out a loan for seed, and then I can't count on making it back to pay off my debt."</p><p>Ruben told me then, for the first time, that he planned to save up his money to migrate out of El Salvador. His story is playing out across Central America among many migrants and would-be migrants.</p><p>When I spoke with Ruben, it was 2017, nearly 20 years after I had first spent time in his community, a coffee cooperative in El Salvador's central highlands founded in the 1990s. Over those two decades, the cooperative's hopes and dreams of a sustainable livelihood producing coffee for a global market have been dashed.</p><p>Rising global temperatures, the spread of crop disease and <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/extreme-weather">extreme weather</a> events have made coffee harvests <a href="https://www.nri.org/publications/working-paper-series/4-coffee-and-climate-change/file" target="_blank">unreliable</a> in places like El Salvador. On top of that, <a href="https://asu.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/market-shocks-and-climate-variability-the-coffee-crisis-in-mexico" target="_blank">market prices</a> are unpredictable.</p><p>In the back of the pickup truck that day, we talked about gangs too. There was increasing criminal activity in the town nearby, and some young people in the town were being harassed and recruited. But this was a relatively new issue for the community, layered on top of the persistent problem of the ecological crisis.</p><p>As a cultural anthropologist who studies factors of displacement in El Salvador, I see how Ruben's situation is reflective of a much broader global phenomenon of people leaving their homes, directly or indirectly due to climate change and the degradation of their local ecosystem. And as environmental conditions are projected to get worse under current trends, this raises unresolved legal questions on the status and security of people like Ruben and his family.</p>
Land and Livelihood
<p>Migration from Central America has gotten a lot of <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2017/12/07/rise-in-u-s-immigrants-from-el-salvador-guatemala-and-honduras-outpaces-growth-from-elsewhere/" target="_blank">attention</a> these days, including the famous migrant <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/root-migration-climate-change-caravan-central-america" target="_blank">caravans</a>. But much of it focuses on the way migrants from this region — especially El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras — are driven out by <a href="https://academic.oup.com/rsq/article/33/3/34/2797909" target="_blank">gang violence</a>, <a href="https://theglobalamericans.org/2019/04/the-cost-of-systemic-corruption-in-honduras-migration-north/" target="_blank">corruption</a> and <a href="https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/nicaragua" target="_blank">political upheaval</a>.</p><p>These factors are <a href="http://www.internal-displacement.org/publications/understanding-and-estimating-displacement-in-the-northern-triangle-of-central-america" target="_blank">important</a> and require a response from the <a href="https://www.unhcr.org/en-us/claims-from-central-america.html" target="_blank">international community</a>. But displacement <a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/news/08072019/climate-change-migration-honduras-drought-crop-failure-farming-deforestation-guatemala-trump" target="_blank">driven by climate change</a> is significant too.</p><p>The link between environmental instability and emigration from the region became apparent in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Earthquakes and hurricanes, especially <a href="http://hurricanescience.net/history/storms/1990s/mitch/" target="_blank">Hurricane Mitch</a> in 1998 and its aftermath, were ravaging parts of Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador.</p><p>Many people from El Salvador and Honduras lived in the U.S. at the time, and the Bush administration granted them <a href="https://cmsny.org/publications/jmhs-tps-elsalvador-honduras-haiti/" target="_blank">Temporary Protected Status</a>. In this way, the government of the United States recognized the inhumanity of sending people back to places struggling with ecological disaster.</p><p>In the years since those events, both rapid-onset and long-term environmental crises continue to <a href="http://www.internal-displacement.org/sites/default/files/publications/documents/20181213-slow-onset-intro.pdf" target="_blank">displace people</a> from their homes worldwide. Studies show that displacement often happens indirectly through the impact of climate change on <a href="https://www.nri.org/publications/working-paper-series/4-coffee-and-climate-change/file" target="_blank">agricultural livelihoods</a>, with some areas pressured more than others. But some are more dramatic: Both Honduras and Nicaragua are among the top 10 countries <a href="https://germanwatch.org/sites/germanwatch.org/files/Global%20Climate%20Risk%20Index%202019_2.pdf" target="_blank">most impacted</a> by extreme weather events between 1998 and 2017.</p><p>Since 2014, a serious drought has decimated crops in Central America's so-called <a href="http://www.fao.org/emergencies/crisis/dry-corridor/en/" target="_blank">dry corridor</a> along the Pacific Coast. By impacting smallholder farmers in <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-elsalvador-drought/salvadoran-farmers-lament-brutal-drought-hope-for-recovery-idUSKBN1KG2RE" target="_blank">El Salvador</a>, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/central-america-drying-farmers-face-choice-pray-rain-or-leave-n1027346" target="_blank">Guatemala and Honduras</a>, this drought helps to drive <a href="https://econpapers.repec.org/article/sprclimat/v_3a140_3ay_3a2017_3ai_3a3_3ad_3a10.1007_5fs10584-016-1863-2.htm" target="_blank">higher levels</a> of migration from the region.</p><p>Coffee production, a critical support for these countries' economies, is especially vulnerable and sensitive to weather variations. A recent <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/coffee-rust-battle-intensifies/" target="_blank">outbreak of coffee leaf rust</a> in the region was likely <a href="https://2012-2017.usaid.gov/news-information/press-releases/may-19-2014-usaid-texas-am-invest-5-million-combat-coffee-rust-crisis" target="_blank">exacerbated</a> by climate change.</p><p>The <a href="https://time.com/5346110/guatemala-coffee-escape-migration/" target="_blank">fallout</a> from that plague combines with the recent <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-centralamerica-immigration-coffee/coffee-slump-reaps-bitter-harvest-for-central-american-migrants-idUSKCN1TS2QB" target="_blank">collapse</a> in global coffee prices to spur desperate farmers to give up.</p>Compounding Factor
<p><br>These trends have led experts at the World Bank to claim that around <a href="http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/983921522304806221/pdf/124724-BRI-PUBLIC-NEWSERIES-Groundswell-note-PN3.pdf" target="_blank">2 million people</a> are likely to be <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-refugee" target="_self">displaced</a> from Central America by the year 2050 due to factors related to climate change. Of course, it's hard to tease out the "push factor" of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change" target="_self">climate change</a> from all of the other reasons that people need to leave. And unfortunately, these phenomena interact and tend to exacerbate each other.</p><p>Scholars are working hard to assess the scale of the problem and study ways people can <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0088463" target="_blank">adapt</a>. But the problem is challenging. The number of displaced could be even higher — up to almost <a href="http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/983921522304806221/pdf/124724-BRI-PUBLIC-NEWSERIES-Groundswell-note-PN3.pdf" target="_blank">4 million</a> — if regional development does not shift to more climate-friendly and <a href="https://ccafs.cgiar.org/news/central-americas-climate-smart-agriculture-strategy-contains-key-recommendations-ccafs-future#.XWUp8pNKgWo" target="_blank">inclusive models</a> of agriculture.</p><p>People who emigrate from Central America may not always fully realize the role climate change plays in their movement, or think of it as the final trigger given all the other reasons they have to flee. But they know that the crops fail too often, and it's harder to get clean water than it used to be.</p>Seeking a Protected Status
<p>Ruben recently contacted me to ask for a reference to a good immigration lawyer. He and his daughter are now in the United States and have an upcoming hearing to determine their status.</p><p>Just as he predicted a few years ago, Ruben couldn't make a living in El Salvador. But he may find it hard to live in the U.S. too, given the mismatch between refugee law and current factors causing displacement.</p><p>For several years now, scholars and legal advocates have been asking <a href="https://www.fmreview.org/peopletrafficking/romer" target="_blank">how to respond</a> to people displaced by environmental conditions. Do <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328261364_Possible_Framework_for_Climate_Change_IDP's_Disaster_and_Development_Induced_Displacement_and_Resettlement_Models_and_their_Integration" target="_blank">existing models</a> of humanitarian response and resettlement work for this new population? Could such persons be recognized as in need of <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1467-9930.2008.00290.x" target="_blank">protection under international law</a>, similar to political refugees?</p><p>Among the most complicated political questions is who should step up to deal with the harms of climate change, considering that wealthier countries pollute more but are often shielded from the worst effects. How can <a href="https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/nzjel20&id=112&men_tab=srchresults" target="_blank">responsibility be assigned</a>, and more importantly, what is to be done?</p><p>In the absence of coordinated action on the part of the global community to mitigate ecological instability and recognize the plight of displaced people, there's a risk of what some have called "<a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2019/06/1041261" target="_blank">climate apartheid</a>." In this scenario — climate change combined with closed borders and few migration pathways — millions of people would be forced to choose between increasingly insecure livelihoods and the perils of unauthorized migration.<em> </em></p><p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/miranda-cady-hallett-343720" target="_blank">Miranda Cady Hallett</a> is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Human Rights Center Research Fellow at University of Dayton. </em></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate </em><u><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/how-climate-change-is-driving-emigration-from-central-america-121525" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>.</em></u></p>From Your Site Articles
- Climate Change Is Already Driving Mass Migration Around the Globe ›
- The Climate Implications of the Migrant Caravan - EcoWatch ›
- Why the Migrant Caravan Story Is a Climate Change Story - EcoWatch ›
- Tropical Storm Amanda Kills 14 in El Salvador, Forces 4,200 to Evacuate - EcoWatch ›
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Drinking Coffee Can Be Good for You, but a New Study Suggests There’s a Limit
15 May 2019
Health + Wellness
grandriver / iStock / Getty Images Plus
In recent years, plenty of studies have suggested that drinking coffee can be good for you, and can even help you live longer. But coffee addicts take note: for the first time, researchers have identified the limit for how much coffee you can have before it puts your health at risk.
<p><br/></p>
<p>Drinking six or more cups of coffee per day may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease and outweigh other benefits, researchers from the University of South Australia found in a new <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article-abstract/109/3/509/5369955?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank">study</a> published in the <em>American Journal of Clinical Nutrition</em>.</p><p>"In order to maintain a healthy heart and a healthy blood pressure, people must limit their coffees to fewer than six cups a day — based on our data six was the tipping point where caffeine started to negatively affect cardiovascular risk," co-author Elina Hyppönen of the Australian Centre for Precision Health said in a <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-05/uosa-aco051019.php" target="_blank">press release</a>.</p><p>The study examined the health records and diets from the <a href="http://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/" target="_blank">UK Biobank</a> of nearly 350,000 people between 37 and 73 years old, as well as which of the participants had a gene variant, CYP1A2, which allows those who possess it to metabolize caffeine faster than those who do not. The levels of coffee consumption were likely self-reported, according to <a href="https://thetakeout.com/how-much-coffee-too-much-cups-per-day-study-1834753301" target="_blank">The Takeout</a>, which noted that many people don't consider that 16-ounce travel mugs count as more than one cup of coffee.</p>
<p>Participants who drank six or more cups of coffee were 22 percent more likely to develop heart disease compared with those who only had two cups at most per day, regardless of whether or not they possessed the CYP1A2 gene variant. The researchers indicated this could be because excess caffeine consumption can lead to high blood pressure, which often precedes heart disease. The <a href="https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cardiovascular-diseases-(cvds)" target="_blank">World Health Organization</a> lists cardiovascular disease as the leading global cause of death, despite its preventability.</p><p>But the researchers also found that those who preferred decaf or didn't drink any coffee weren't much better off. Compared to those with moderate daily coffee consumption, decaf drinkers had a 7 percent higher rate of heart disease and non-coffee drinkers had an 11 percent higher rate of heart disease.</p><p>This jibes with previous research suggesting that the antioxidants in coffee could reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes at the right levels of consumption, which might be around 400 mg per day, <a href="https://www.health.com/condition/heart-disease/how-much-coffee-is-too-much" target="_blank">Health.com</a> reported. In 2018, a German <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coffee-heart-health-4-cups-might-be-ideal-2018-6" target="_blank">study</a> also found that as much as four-to-five cups of espresso per day could improve heart health by making proteins in older blood vessel cells of mice and human tissues perform like younger ones.</p><p>The authors of this new study say that, as is often the case, moderation and knowing your limits is essential to your health.</p><p>"Most people would agree that if you drink a lot of coffee, you might feel jittery, irritable or perhaps even [nauseated] — that's because caffeine helps your body work faster and harder, but it is also likely to suggest that you may have reached your limit for the time being," Hyppönen said.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Coffee?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Coffee</a> and Antioxidants: Everything You Need to Know <a href="https://t.co/zHzD3jQSCi">https://t.co/zHzD3jQSCi</a></p>— Melissa Stewart (@MelissaOnline) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelissaOnline/status/1098929151593992192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Instead of using hot water to draw out the flavor and caffeine of coffee beans, cold brew coffee relies on time by steeping them in cold water for 12–24 hours.</p><p>This method makes the drink less bitter than hot coffee.</p><p>Though most research on the health benefits of coffee uses hot brew, cold brew is thought to offer many similar effects.</p><p>Here are 9 impressive health benefits of cold brew coffee.</p>
<p> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cold-brew-coffee-benefits" target="_blank">Healthline</a>.</em><em></em></p>
1. May Boost Your Metabolism
<p>Metabolism is the process by which your body uses food to create energy.</p><p>The higher your <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-increase-metabolism" target="_blank">metabolic rate</a>, the more calories you burn at rest.</p><p>Just like hot coffee, cold brew coffee contains caffeine, which has been shown to increase your resting metabolic rate by up to 11% (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2912010" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26239482" target="_blank">2</a>).</p><p>Caffeine appears to boost metabolic rate by increasing how quickly your body <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-ways-to-burn-fat" target="_blank">burns fat</a>.</p><p>In a study in 8 men, ingesting caffeine led to a 13% increase in calorie burning, as well as a 2-fold increase in fat burning — much greater effects than they experienced after taking a placebo or beta-blocker (medication for blood pressure and circulation) (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14684395" target="_blank">3</a>).</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>The caffeine in cold brew coffee can increase how many calories you burn at rest. This may make it easier to lose or maintain weight.</p>2. May Lift Your Mood
<p>The caffeine in cold brew coffee may improve your state of mind.</p><p>Caffeine consumption has been shown to enhance mood, especially among <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important" target="_blank">sleep-deprived</a>individuals (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK209050/" target="_blank">4</a>).</p><p>A review of studies in over 370,000 people found that those who drank coffee had lower rates of depression. In fact, for every cup of coffee consumed per day, depression risk sank by 8% (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26339067" target="_blank">5</a>).</p><p>Some research even suggests that caffeine could be used as a nutritional supplement to boost mood and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-brain-foods" target="_blank">brain function</a> in older adults.</p><p>In a study in 12 adults ages 63–74, taking 1.4 mg of caffeine per pound (3 mg per kg) of body weight improved mood by 17%. This amount of caffeine is equivalent to around two cups of coffee for the average-sized person (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3835022/" target="_blank">6</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22709383" target="_blank">7</a>).</p><p>Caffeine also improved their ability to react to an object moving toward them, indicating that it increases focus and attentiveness (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3835022/" target="_blank">6</a>).</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Drinking cold brew coffee may boost your mood, reduce your risk of depression, and improve brain function.</p>3. May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
<p>Heart disease is a general term for several conditions that can affect your heart, including coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke. It's the number one cause of death worldwide (<a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/the-top-10-causes-of-death" target="_blank">8</a>).</p><p>Cold brew coffee contains compounds that may reduce your risk of heart disease, including caffeine, phenolic compounds, magnesium, trigonelline, quinides, and lignans. These increase <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/improve-insulin-sensitivity" target="_blank">insulin sensitivity</a>, stabilize blood sugar, and lower blood pressure (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29276945" target="_blank">9</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945962/" target="_blank">10</a>).</p><p>The drink also contains chlorogenic acids (CGAs) and diterpenes, which act as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6003581/" target="_blank">11</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4728630/" target="_blank">12</a>).</p><p>Drinking 3–5 cups of coffee (15–25 ounces or 450–750 ml) daily may lower your risk of heart disease by up to 15%, compared to people who don't drink coffee (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29276945" target="_blank">9</a>).</p><p>Evidence to suggest that drinking more than 3–5 cups per day increases heart disease risk is lacking, though this effect has not been studied in people who consume more than 600 mg of caffeine per day, the equivalent of about 6 cups of coffee (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29276945" target="_blank">9</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3945962/" target="_blank">10</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28756014" target="_blank">13</a>).</p><p>That said, people with uncontrolled <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-and-blood-pressure" target="_blank">high blood pressure</a> should avoid drinking caffeine regularly, as this may further elevate their levels (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29276945" target="_blank">9</a>).</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Regularly drinking cold brew coffee may improve your heart health. However, caffeine should be limited or avoided if you have uncontrolled high blood pressure.</p>4. May Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
<p>Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition in which your <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/15-ways-to-lower-blood-sugar" target="_blank">blood sugar levels</a> are too high. If left untreated, it can lead to many serious health complications.</p><p>Cold brew coffee may reduce your risk of developing this disease. In fact, drinking at least 4–6 cups of coffee per day is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22497654" target="_blank">14</a>).</p><p>These benefits may be largely due to chlorogenic acids, which are powerful antioxidants in coffee (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6003581/" target="_blank">11</a>).</p><p>Cold brew coffee may also regulate gut peptides, which are hormones in your <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ways-to-improve-digestion" target="_blank">digestive system</a>that control and slow digestion, keeping your blood sugar stable (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6003581/" target="_blank">11</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4283437/" target="_blank">15</a>).</p><p>One study in over 36,900 people ages 45–74 found that those who drank at least 4 cups of coffee per day had a 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes than individuals who didn't drink coffee daily (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2737528/" target="_blank">16</a>).</p><p>A review of 3 large studies in more than 1 million people found that those who increased their coffee intake over 4 years had an 11% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, compared to a 17% higher risk in those who reduced their coffee intake by more than 1 cup per day (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24771089" target="_blank">17</a>).</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Regularly drinking cold brew coffee may help keep your blood sugar stable and reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes.</p>5. May Reduce Your Risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s Disease
<p>In addition to increasing your attentiveness and mood, cold brew coffee may benefit your brain in other ways.</p><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-caffeine" target="_blank">Caffeine</a> stimulates your nervous system and may affect how your brain functions.</p><p>One recent study observed that drinking coffee can protect your brain from age-related diseases (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30369868" target="_blank">18</a>).</p><p>Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases are neurodegenerative conditions, which means they are caused by brain cell death that occurs over time. Both illnesses can result in dementia, a decline in mental health that makes daily activities difficult.</p><p>Alzheimer's disease is marked by significant memory impairment, while Parkinson's often causes physical tremors and stiffness (<a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejm2003ra020003" target="_blank">19</a>).</p><p>One observational study found that people who drank 3–5 cups of coffee per day during mid-life had a 65% lower risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer's in old age (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20182054" target="_blank">20</a>).</p><p>Another observational study noted that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of Parkinson's disease. In fact, men who drink more than four cups of coffee per day are five times less likely to develop this condition (<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ana.10277" target="_blank">21</a>, <a href="https://n.neurology.org/content/90/5/205" target="_blank">22</a>).</p><p>It appears that several compounds in coffee, such as phenylindanes, as well as harman and nonharman compounds, provide protection against Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30369868" target="_blank">18</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22353630/" target="_blank">23</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30827582" target="_blank">24</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124095175000826">25</a>).</p><p>Keep in mind that <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/decaf-coffee-good-or-bad" target="_blank">decaffeinated coffee</a> doesn't appear to offer the same protective benefits as caffeinated varieties (<a href="https://n.neurology.org/content/90/5/205" target="_blank">22</a>).</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Cold brew coffee contains compounds called phenylindanes, as well as lower amounts of nonharman and harman compounds. These can help protect your brain from age-related diseases.</p>6. May Be Easier On Your Stomach Than Hot Coffee
<p>Many people avoid coffee because it's an acidic beverage that may stimulate <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/heartburn-acid-reflux-remedies" target="_blank">acid reflux</a>.</p><p>Acid reflux is a condition in which stomach acid frequently flows from your stomach back into your esophagus, causing irritation (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10499460" target="_blank">26</a>).</p><p>The acidity of coffee also tends to be blamed for other ailments, such as indigestion and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-that-cause-heartburn" target="_blank">heartburn</a>.</p><p>The pH scale measures how acidic or alkaline a solution is from 0 to 14, with 7 being neutral, lower numbers more acidic, and higher numbers more alkaline.</p><p>Cold brew and hot coffee generally have similar acidity levels, around 5–6 on the pH scale, though this can vary depending on individual brews.</p><p>Still, some studies have found cold brew to be slightly less acidic, which means it may irritate your stomach less (<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-34392-w" target="_blank">27</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5740146/" target="_blank">28</a>).</p><p>Another reason why this beverage may be less irritating than hot coffee is its content of crude polysaccharides.</p><p>These carbohydrates, or chains of sugar molecules, boost the immunity of your digestive system. This may decrease gut irritation and the bothersome effects of coffee's acidity on your stomach (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5503418/" target="_blank">29</a>).</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Cold brew coffee is only slightly less acidic than hot coffee but contains compounds that may protect your stomach from this acidity. As such, it may cause fewer unpleasant digestive and acid reflux symptoms than hot coffee.</p>7. May Help You Live Longer
<p>Drinking cold brew coffee may reduce your overall risk of death, as well as dying from disease-specific causes (<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2686145" target="_blank">30</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22591295/" target="_blank">31</a>, <a href="https://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/2643435" target="_blank">32</a>).</p><p>A long-term study in 229,119 men and 173,141 women ages 50–71 found that the more coffee people drank, the <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-coffee-makes-you-live-longer" target="_blank">lower their risk of death</a> from heart disease, respiratory disease, stroke, injuries, accidents, diabetes, and infections (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22591295/" target="_blank">31</a>).</p><p>One reason for this association may be that coffee is high in antioxidants.</p><p>Antioxidants are compounds that help prevent cell damage that can lead to chronic illnesses like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer. These conditions can significantly reduce your lifespan.</p><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-worlds-biggest-source-of-antioxidants" target="_blank">Coffee contains powerful antioxidants</a> like polyphenols, hydroxycinnamates, and chlorogenic acid (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29269877" target="_blank">28</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15113710" target="_blank">33</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23956973" target="_blank">34</a>).</p><p>Though studies show that hot coffee contains more total antioxidants than cold brew varieties, the latter packs some very potent antioxidants, such as caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) (<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-34392-w" target="_blank">27</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23134416" target="_blank">35</a>).</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Though cold brew coffee contains fewer total antioxidants than hot coffee, it's full of compounds that have high antioxidant activity. Antioxidants help prevent diseases that can reduce your lifespan.</p>8. Similar Caffeine Content to Hot Coffee
<p>Cold brew coffee is made as a concentrate that's meant to be diluted with water, usually in a 1:1 ratio.</p><p>The concentrate is incredibly strong on its own. In fact, undiluted, it provides about 200 mg of caffeine per cup.</p><p>However, diluting the concentrate — as is customary — reduces the caffeine content of the final product, bringing it closer to that of regular coffee.</p><p>Though <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-caffeine-in-coffee" target="_blank">caffeine content</a> can vary depending on the brewing method, the difference in caffeine content between hot coffee and cold brew is insignificant (<a href="https://ojs3.library.uvic.ca/index.php/arbutus/article/view/16816" target="_blank">36</a>).</p><p>The average cup of hot coffee contains around 95 mg of caffeine, compared to about 100 mg for a typical cold brew.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Cold brew and hot coffee contain similar amounts of caffeine. However, if you drank cold brew coffee concentrate without diluting it, it would provide about twice the caffeine.</p>9. Very Easy to Make
<p>You can easily make cold brew coffee at home.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;"><span></span><strong>1.</strong> First, purchase whole roasted coffee beans locally or <a href="https://amzn.to/2VC4aTq" target="_blank">online</a> and coarsely grind them.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;"><span></span><strong>2.</strong> Add 8 ounces (226 grams) of grounds to a large jar and gently stir in 2 cups (480 ml) of water.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;"><span></span><strong>3</strong>. Cover the jar and let the coffee steep in the refrigerator for 12–24 hours.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;"><span></span><strong>4.</strong> Place cheesecloth into a fine mesh strainer and pour the steeped coffee through it into another jar.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;"><span></span><strong>5.</strong> Discard the solids that collect on the cheesecloth or save them for other <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/uses-for-coffee-grounds" target="_blank">creative uses</a>. The liquid that remains is your cold brew coffee concentrate.</p><p style="margin-left: 20px;"><span></span><strong>6. </strong>Cover the jar with an airtight lid and store your concentrate in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.</p><p>When you're ready to drink it, add 1/2 cup (120 ml) of cold water to 1/2 cup (120 ml) of cold brew coffee concentrate. Pour this over ice and add cream if desired.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Though it takes significantly longer to prepare than hot coffee, cold brew coffee is very easy to make at home. Mix coarsely ground coffee beans with cold water, let steep for 12–24 hours, strain, and then dilute the concentrate with water at a 1:1 ratio.</p>The Bottom Line
<p>Cold brew coffee is an enjoyable alternative to hot coffee that you can easily make at home.</p><p>It offers many of the same <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee" target="_blank">health benefits</a> but is less acidic and less bitter, which may make it more easily tolerated by sensitive individuals.</p><p>If you want to mix up your coffee routine, give cold brew coffee a try and see how it compares to your usual hot cup of joe.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Did Brazil's 'Dirty List' Prompt Starbucks and Nespresso to Stop Sourcing Coffee From Farm Caught With Slave-Like Conditions?
06 May 2019
Business
A worker's hands injured by long hours of coffee harvesting. Lilo Clareto / Repórter Brasil
By Daniel Camargos
Eight months after slave labor was discovered at the Cedro II farm in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, Starbucks and Nestlé-controlled brand Nespresso — both of whom had quality certified the farm — said they would stop sourcing coffee there.
<p>The decision by the two transnational companies came after the publication of the government's April "Dirty List" of employers — those caught with labor conditions analogous to slavery. The "Dirty List" is released biannually by what was previously the Ministry of Labor, now part of the Ministry of Economy, and the the first update under <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/jair-bolsonaro">President Jair Bolsonaro</a>.</p>
<p><em>This story was produced via a co-publishing partnership between Mongabay and Repórter Brasil; a version in Portuguese can be <a href="https://reporterbrasil.org.br/2019/04/nespresso-e-starbucks-compraram-cafe-de-fazenda-flagrada-com-trabalho-escravo/" target="_blank">read here</a></em><em>.</em></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://news.mongabay.com/2019/05/slave-labor-found-at-second-starbucks-certified-brazilian-coffee-farm/" target="_blank">Mongabay</a>.</em><em></em></p>
<p>The April 'Dirty List' includes 48 new employers. One of them is coffee producer Helvécio Sebastião Batista, who had been certified with Nespresso and Starbucks quality seals and used to provide coffee for both brands.</p><p>Nespresso responded: "In the light of the last report of the Ministry of Labor, we immediately suspended business with the producer in question and we will investigate the case. Farms providing coffee to the company are rigorously evaluated and inspected every year to meet the program's criteria. We will not accept otherwise and there will be no exception."</p><p>Starbucks responded, saying it will look into the incident and that it has suspended the farm from its supplier list because of the charges. The company, which boasts the world's largest chain of coffee shops, says the farm's practices previously complied with the <a href="https://www.scsglobalservices.com/services/starbucks-cafe-practices" target="_blank">C.A.F.E. certification seal,</a> which follows "ethical and sustainable standards" developed in partnership with Conservation International and overseen by SCS Global Services. The next evaluation of the farm included in the "Dirty List" is expected to take place in September 2019.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8xOTQ0Njk5Mi9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxMjg1NDg5NH0.blI_USkjI96UBj1zaA3MXFZv2nvwMNcn5vPcTKHW_DI/img.jpg?width=980" id="580f1" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5f2b7633b3aa74ebf897af07682ba521" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />
A worker rakes coffee beans on a Brazilian plantation.
Marcel Gomes / Repórter Brasil
<p>This wasn't the first time that auditors found slave labor at a Starbucks-certified coffee farm. In August of 2018, <a href="https://reporterbrasil.org.br/2018/08/fazenda-de-cafe-certificada-pela-starbucks-e-flagrada-com-trabalho-escravo/" target="_blank">Repórter Brasil</a> reported that 18 workers had been found in conditions similar to slavery at the Córrego das Almas farm, also known as Fartura. In September, Mongabay co-published that <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/slave-labor-starbucks-certified-brazil-coffee-plantation-2606260085.html">story</a>.</p><p>The operation carried out by labor inspectors at the Cedro II farm in July 2018 found six employees in dire working conditions. Some were forced to work 17-hour shifts, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and slept in substandard unhygienic housing, according to the government inspectors who rescued them.</p><p>Cedro II farm owner and manager, Helvécio Sebastião Batista, claims the charges filed against him are unfounded. "I'll do what I have to do. I filed a petition for a writ of mandamus, and I paid no fine," Batista said regarding his intention to appeal the Ministry's decision through the judicial system. A writ of mandamus is an order seeking to remedy defects of justice.</p><p>Meanwhile, at Cedro II and other properties managed by Batista, labor inspectors have found 19 more workers in slavery-like conditions, in addition to the six that caused his property's inclusion on the "Dirty List." Those properties lacked proper toilets and had no kitchen facilities. The workers also reported working exhaustive hours, in some cases until 11 p.m., often without their mandatory weekly day off.</p><p>In addition to holding Nespresso and Starbucks seals of good practice, Batista said that his farm was certified by Rainforest Alliance, which in turn informed Repórter Brasil that it would suspend its certification.</p><p>Cases of labor conditions analogous to slavery on coffee farms are recurrent. In 2018 alone, 210 workers were found in such conditions by inspectors. The number of workers toiling in slave-like working conditions in Brazil's coffee industry is now at the highest level in 15 years, according to Ministry of Labor statistics.</p>More About the "Dirty List"
<p>With its new additions, the "<a href="https://reporterbrasil.org.br/tags/lista-suja/" target="_blank">Dirty List</a>" now includes 187 employers caught exploiting labor in conditions similar to slavery. According to Article 149 of Brazil's Criminal Code, four elements define contemporary slavery: forced labor (which involves restricting freedom of movement); debt bondage (captivity linked to debts, often fraudulent ones); degrading conditions (work that denies human dignity, endangering a worker's health, safety and life); or exhausting working hours (leading workers to total exhaustion as a result of extreme exploitation of labor, also endangering their health, safety and lives).</p><p>The 48 companies newly included on the April 2019 "Dirty List" were monitored between 2014 and 2018. Before being added to the list, employers have a right to defend themselves with the Ministry of Economy.</p><p>Employers whose appeals fail remain on the list for two years. When they strike deals with the government, employer names are placed on a "watch list," and they may be excluded altogether after a year if they honor their commitments.</p><p>Investors, along with public and private banks, use the "Dirty List" to conduct risk analyses. Some Brazilian and international companies choose to avoid doing business with listed firms.</p>From Your Site Articles
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Keiko Iwabuchi / Moment / Getty Images
Millions of people around the world depend on a morning cup of coffee to get their day started.
<p>Coffee is not only a great source of caffeine that provides a convenient boost of energy but also has many beneficial antioxidants and nutrients.</p><p>A recent trend is to add coconut oil to coffee to reap the health benefits of this popular fat, too.</p><p>However, you may wonder whether this practice is healthy.</p><p>This article tells you whether you should drink coffee with coconut oil.<br/></p>
<p> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coconut-oil-in-coffee" target="_blank">Healthline</a>.</em><em></em></p>
May Help You Stay in Ketosis
<p>Coconut oil has become increasingly popular among people following the high-fat, very-low-carb ketogenic diet.</p><p>Adding it to your coffee can help you reach or maintain ketosis, a metabolic state in which your body uses ketones — molecules produced from fat breakdown — as fuel instead of glucose, a type of sugar (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23670253" target="_blank">1</a>).</p><p>Maintaining ketosis on a ketogenic diet has been linked to <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-low-carb-ketogenic-diets" target="_blank">health benefits</a> like weight loss, improved blood sugar control, and reduced heart disease risk factors (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12679447" target="_blank">2</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15767618" target="_blank">3</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29712560" target="_blank">4</a>).</p><p>Coconut oil can help you stay in ketosis as it's loaded with fats called <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mct-oil-benefits" target="_blank">medium-chain triglycerides</a> (MCTs).</p><p>Compared to other fats, MCTs are rapidly absorbed and immediately delivered to your liver. Here, they're either used as a source of energy or converted into ketone bodies (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18231629" target="_blank">5</a>).</p><p>Interestingly, MCT oils are more easily converted to ketones than long-chain triglycerides, another type of fat found in foods (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23515148" target="_blank">6</a>).</p><p>Research shows that MCTs can help you stay in ketosis — even if you eat slightly more protein and carbs than recommended on a classic ketogenic diet (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23515148" target="_blank">6</a>).</p><p>Coconut oil has 4 types of MCTs, and 50% of its fat comes from the MCT lauric acid (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27547436" target="_blank">7</a>).</p><p>Lauric acid appears to make ketones at a slower but more sustained rate as it's metabolized more steadily than other MCTs. Therefore, adding coconut oil to your coffee is an effective way to help you stay in ketosis (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27547436" target="_blank">7</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27430387" target="_blank">8</a>).</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Coconut oil helps your body make ketones. If you follow a ketogenic diet, adding it to your cup of coffee may help you reach and stay in ketosis.</p>Health Benefits and Downsides
<p>Adding <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil" target="_blank">coconut oil</a> to your coffee is an easy way to reap the health benefits of both.</p><p>Here are some ways in which adding coconut oil to your coffee may improve health:</p><ul> <li><strong>May speed up your metabolism.</strong> Studies show that MCTs in coconut oil and caffeine in coffee may <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-increase-metabolism" target="_blank">speed up your metabolism</a>, which can increase the number of calories you burn in a day (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12634436" target="_blank">9</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11880549" target="_blank">10</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27824614" target="_blank">11</a>).</li></ul><ul> <li><strong>May improve energy levels. </strong>Coffee contains caffeine, which can help you feel less tired. Coconut oil packs MCTs, which are transported straight to your liver and can act as a quick source of energy as well (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24895603" target="_blank">12</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8567514" target="_blank">13</a>).</li></ul><ul> <li><strong>May help keep your bowels regular. </strong>Coconut oil MCTs and coffee compounds like caffeine and chlorogenic acids may help stimulate your bowels and keep your digestive system healthy (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29881797" target="_blank">14</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19621729" target="_blank">15</a>).</li></ul><ul><li><strong>May help raise HDL (good) cholesterol.</strong> Several studies have found that coconut oil can raise levels of HDL cholesterol, which is protective against heart disease (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29387131" target="_blank">16</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29511019" target="_blank">17</a>).</li></ul><p>However, adding coconut oil to coffee also has its drawbacks.</p><p>For starters, many people who add it to their morning coffee use it as a breakfast replacement. Doing so means that you may miss out on many important nutrients that you would get from eating a more <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nutritious-breakfast" target="_blank">balanced breakfast</a>.</p><p>While coconut oil has some nutrients, it won't have as many as a nutritious breakfast that contains many different food groups.</p><p>What's more, coconut oil is high in calories, providing 121 calories per tablespoon (14 grams). Most people who add it to coffee tend to use 2 tablespoons — an extra 242 calories (<a href="https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/" target="_blank">18</a>).</p><p>If this doesn't sound like much, note that it would take a 155-pound (70-kg) person nearly 50 minutes of walking at a brisk pace (3.5 miles or 5.6 km per hour) to burn that many calories (<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042810020732" target="_blank">19</a>).</p><p>Additionally, while the combined effect of coconut oil and coffee may slightly boost your metabolism, it's more likely to make you <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-causes-of-weight-gain" target="_blank">gain weight</a> if you don't account for the added calories.</p><p>The calories in a few tablespoons of coconut oil are likely to exceed the calories expended due to the small metabolism increase related to the ingestion of the MCTs and caffeine.</p><p>What's more, certain medical conditions like gallbladder issues or pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) may make it necessary to limit your fat intake (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3500019/" target="_blank">20</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29424395" target="_blank">21</a>).</p><p>Coconut oil is much more effective when you use it to replace less healthy fats in your diet, such as those from processed foods, rather than on top of the fats you're currently consuming.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Adding coconut oil to coffee can offer some health benefits. Still, it has potential drawbacks, such as replacing a more nutritious meal and adding too many calories. Plus, certain medical conditions may make it necessary to limit your fat intake.</p>How Much Coconut Oil Should You Use?
<p>If you want to try coconut oil in your cup of joe, start small by adding 1 tablespoon (14 grams) to hot coffee and stirring it thoroughly to ensure that the oil incorporates well.</p><p>Some people prefer to blend the oil with <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-13-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coffee" target="_blank">coffee</a> in a blender to make a delicious tropical-style beverage.</p><p>Eventually, you can work your way up to 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of coconut oil if you would like to increase your fat intake. This may be most appropriate for those attempting to reach and maintain ketosis.</p><p>Avoid adding too much coconut oil too quickly, especially if you follow a low- to moderate-fat diet, as it may cause nausea and laxative-like symptoms.</p><p>Besides, 2 tablespoons (28 grams) is plenty to reap the health benefits of this tasty, healthy fat (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22164340" target="_blank">22</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19437058" target="_blank">23</a>).</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Start by adding 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of coconut oil to your hot coffee. You can slowly work your way up to twice as much. Note that adding too much coconut oil too quickly may cause unpleasant side effects.</p>The Bottom Line
<p>If you're watching your calorie or fat intake for medical or personal reasons, avoid putting coconut oil into your coffee.</p><p>Still, if you follow a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101" target="_blank">ketogenic diet</a> or want to include this healthy fat in your diet, then adding it to your coffee can be an easy way to increase your intake.</p><p>To avoid unpleasant side effects, start slowly and add no more than 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of coconut oil at first.</p>From Your Site Articles
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ThitareeSarmkasat / iStock / Getty Images
By Kris Gunnars, BSc
Bulletproof coffee is a high-calorie coffee drink intended to replace breakfast.
<p>It consists of 2 cups (470 ml) of coffee, 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of grass-fed, unsalted butter and 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) of MCT oil mixed in a blender.</p><p>It was originally promoted by Dave Asprey, the creator of the Bulletproof Diet. The coffee produced and marketed by Asprey's company is supposedly free of mycotoxins. However, there's no evidence that this is the case.</p><p>Bulletproof coffee has become increasingly popular — especially among paleo or low-carb dieters.</p><p>Although drinking Bulletproof coffee on occasion is probably harmless, it's not advisable to make it a routine.</p><p>Here are 3 potential downsides of Bulletproof coffee.</p>
<p> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/3-reasons-why-bulletproof-coffee-is-a-bad-idea" target="_blank">Healthline</a>.</em><em></em></p>
1. Low in Nutrients
<p>Asprey and other promoters recommend that you consume Bulletproof coffee instead of breakfast each morning.</p><p>Although Bulletproof coffee provides plenty of fat — which reduces your appetite and gives you energy — it's lacking in several nutrients.</p><p>By drinking Bulletproof coffee, you are effectively replacing a nutritious meal with a poor substitute.</p><p>While grass-fed butter contains some CLA, butyrate and vitamins A and K2, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mct-oil-benefits" target="_blank">MCT oil</a> is a refined and processed fat with virtually no essential nutrients.</p><p>If you eat three <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-many-meals-per-day" target="_blank">meals per day</a>, replacing breakfast with Bulletproof coffee will likely reduce your total nutrient load by about a third.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Promoters of Bulletproof coffee recommend that you drink it instead of eating breakfast. However, doing so will significantly reduce the total nutrient load of your diet.</p>2. High in Saturated Fat
<p>Bulletproof coffee is very high in saturated fat.</p><p>While the health effects of saturated fats are controversial, many health professionals believe that high intake is a major risk factor for several diseases and should be avoided (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5642188/" target="_blank">1</a>).</p><p>Although some studies associate a high intake of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/saturated-fat-good-or-bad" target="_blank">saturated fat</a> with an increased risk of heart disease, others find no significant links (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26268692" target="_blank">2</a>).</p><p>Nevertheless, most official dietary guidelines and health authorities advise people to limit their intake.</p><p>Although saturated fat can be a part of a healthy diet when consumed in reasonable amounts, it may be harmful in massive doses.</p><p>If you are worried about saturated fat or <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/low-cholesterol-diet" target="_blank">high cholesterol levels</a>, consider limiting your intake of Bulletproof coffee — or avoiding it altogether.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Bulletproof coffee is high in saturated fat. Although its health effects are highly controversial and not firmly established, official guidelines still recommend limiting saturated fat intake.</p>3. May Raise Your Cholesterol Levels
<p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/23-studies-on-low-carb-and-low-fat-diets" target="_blank">Many studies</a> have been conducted on low-carb and ketogenic diets, which are often high in fat — and may include Bulletproof coffee.</p><p>Most of this research confirms that these diets do not increase your levels of total and LDL (bad) cholesterol — at least on average (<a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2012.01021.x/abstract" target="_blank">3</a>).</p><p>Among other benefits, your triglycerides and weight drop while your HDL (good) cholesterol goes up (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5452247/" target="_blank">4</a>).</p><p>But not everyone responds the same way to a high-fat diet. Some people see <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/low-carb-diets-and-cholesterol" target="_blank">dramatic increases</a> in total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, as well as other markers of heart disease risk (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6173254/" target="_blank">5</a>).</p><p>For those who have cholesterol problems while on a low-carb or ketogenic diet, the first thing to do is to avoid excessive saturated fat intake. This includes Bulletproof coffee.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Ketogenic diets high in saturated fat may increase cholesterol levels and other heart disease risk factors in some people. For those who have elevated levels, it's best to avoid Bulletproof coffee.</p>Should Anyone Drink Bulletproof Coffee?
<p>All things considered, Bulletproof coffee can work for some people — especially those following a ketogenic diet who don't have elevated cholesterol levels.</p><p>When consumed alongside a healthy diet, Bulletproof coffee may help you <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-lose-weight-as-fast-as-possible" target="_blank">lose weight</a> and increase your energy levels.</p><p>If you find that this morning drink improves your well-being and quality of life, perhaps it's worth the decreased nutrient load.</p><p>Just to be on the safe side, anyone who drinks Bulletproof coffee regularly should have their blood markers measured to make sure you're not raising your risk of heart disease and other conditions.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Bulletproof coffee may be perfectly healthy for some individuals, as long as you consume it as part of a balanced diet and don't have elevated cholesterol levels. It may be especially appealing for those on keto diets.</p>The Bottom Line
<p>Bulletproof coffee is a high-fat coffee drink intended as a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/12-best-foods-to-eat-in-morning" target="_blank">breakfast</a> replacement. It's popular with people who follow a ketogenic diet.</p><p>While it's <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/15-incredibly-filling-foods" target="_blank">filling</a> and energy-inducing, it comes with several potential downsides — including reduced overall nutrient intake, increased cholesterol, and high levels of saturated fat.</p><p>Still, Bulletproof coffee may be perfectly safe for those who don't have elevated cholesterol levels, as well as those who follow a low-carb or ketogenic diet.</p><p>If you're interested in trying Bulletproof coffee, it may be best to consult with your healthcare provider to get your blood markers checked.</p>
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Christopher Michel / Wikimedia
By Dan Nosowitz
Grown only on the slopes of two volcanoes on the Big Island of Hawaii, kona remains one of the better-known geographical sources of coffee in the U.S., even as coffee from Central America and East Africa have become trendier. But kona is still extremely expensive—when it's real.
<p>Three kona farmers, reports <a href="https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2019/03/03/hawaii-news/3-kona-coffee-farmers-are-suing-major-retail-giants-in-hawaii-over-fake-kona-coffee/" target="_blank">West Hawaii Today</a>, are suing several huge retailers and multiple coffee producers for selling fake kona coffee. The list of defendants includes Walmart, Amazon, Costco, Safeway and Kroger, along with producers like Maui Coffee Co (Hawaii), Magnum Coffee Roastery (Michigan) and Copper Moon Coffee (Indiana).</p><p>Kona coffee isn't a type of roast, like French or Italian; it specifically refers to coffee grown in these two locations. Because of the small land area it's grown on, as well as the fact that kona growers are subject to more stringent American labor laws, kona coffee tends to cost more than twice as much as coffee grown elsewhere. Only 2.7 million pounds of kona coffee are produced each year. But the laws regarding who can call their product "kona" are not helpful.</p><p>Because kona is so expensive, producers often sell "kona blends," meaning kona mixed with non-kona coffee, to reduce costs (or theoretically produce different flavors). Hawaiian state law says that any "kona blend" coffee sold in Hawaii must contain at least 10 percent kona, and must state the precise percentage of kona in the blend. There is no corresponding federal law, meaning that "kona blends" may contain hardly any kona at all. (<a href="https://www.davislevin.com/in-the-news/class-actions-kone-coffee-farmers-win-fake-bean-suit/" target="_blank">There was also a case</a>, settled in 2013, of a "kona blend" that contained zero kona coffee.)</p><p>Over the past few years, testing has evolved to allow the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2009.01173.x" target="_blank">identification of individual coffee beans</a> with a high degree of certainty. Last week, kona farmers filed a class action lawsuit, along with the results of testing showing, they say, that 19 "kona" products contained either only trace quantities of kona or none at all. This, they say, hurts both the kona name and their individual businesses.</p><p>According to the <a href="https://www.natlawreview.com/article/putative-class-action-filed-against-walmart-costco-amazon-and-others-alleging-coffee" target="_blank">National Law Review</a>, the plaintiffs will have to prove that the labeling is false, which is why the chemical testing is so vital. The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in Seattle.</p><p> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://modernfarmer.com/2019/03/kona-coffee-growers-sue-walmart-amazon-costco-and-more-for-selling-fake-kona/" target="_blank">Modern Farmer</a>.</em><em></em></p>
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Elena Pueyo / Moment / Getty Images
Opinions on coffee vary greatly—some consider it healthy and energizing, while others claim it's addictive and harmful.
<p>Still, when you look at the evidence, most studies on coffee and health find that it's beneficial.</p><p>For example, coffee has been linked to a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes, liver diseases, and Alzheimer's (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15998896" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17712848" target="_blank">2</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11897178" target="_blank">3</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18559841" target="_blank">4</a>).</p><p>Many of coffee's positive health effects may be due to its impressive content of powerful antioxidants.</p><p>In fact, studies show that coffee is one of the largest sources of antioxidants in the human diet.</p><p>This article tells you everything you need to know about coffee's impressive antioxidant content.</p>
<p> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-worlds-biggest-source-of-antioxidants#antioxidants" target="_blank">Healthline</a>.</em><em></em></p>
Loaded With Several Powerful Antioxidants
<p>Your body is under constant attack from so-called free radicals, which can damage important molecules like proteins and DNA.</p><p><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-high-in-antioxidants" target="_blank">Antioxidants</a> can effectively disarm free radicals, thus protecting against aging and many diseases that are partly caused by oxidative stress, including cancer.</p><p>Coffee is particularly rich in several powerful antioxidants, including hydrocinnamic acids and polyphenols (<a href="http://phenol-explorer.eu/contents/food/552" target="_blank">5</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15113710" target="_blank">6</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21045839" target="_blank">7</a>).</p><p>Hydrocinnamic acids are very effective at neutralizing free radicals and preventing oxidative stress (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23956973" target="_blank">8</a>).</p><p>What's more, the polyphenols in coffee may prevent a number of conditions, such as heart disease, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cancer-and-diet" target="_blank">cancer</a>, and type 2 diabetes (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22747081" target="_blank">9</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22897371" target="_blank">10</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17551696" target="_blank">11</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25174925" target="_blank">12</a>).</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Coffee is very rich in antioxidants—including polyphenols and hydrocinnamic acids—that may improve health and reduce your risk of several diseases.</p>The Biggest Dietary Source of Antioxidants
<p>Most people consume about 1–2 grams of antioxidants per day—primarily from beverages like coffee and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-green-tea/" target="_blank">tea</a> (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18287367" target="_blank">13</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21490142/" target="_blank">14</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22879444/" target="_blank">15</a>).</p><p>Beverages are a much larger source of antioxidants in the Western diet than food. In fact, 79% of dietary antioxidants come from beverages, while only 21% come from food (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26101616" target="_blank">16</a>).</p><p>That's because people tend to consume more servings of antioxidant-rich drinks than foods.</p><p>In one study, researchers looked at the antioxidant content of different foods by serving size.</p><p>Coffee ranked 11th on the list behind several types of berries (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21045839" target="_blank">7</a>).</p><p>Yet, as many people eat few berries but drink <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-coffee-should-you-drink/" target="_blank">several cups</a> of coffee per day, the total amount of antioxidants provided by coffee far outweighs that of berries—even though berries may contain greater amounts per serving.</p><p>In Norwegian and Finnish studies, coffee was shown to be the single biggest antioxidant source—providing about 64% of people's total antioxidant intake.</p><p>In these studies, the average coffee intake was 450–600 ml per day, or 2–4 cups (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18287367" target="_blank">13</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14988447" target="_blank">17</a>).</p><p>Additionally, studies from Spain, Japan, Poland, and France concluded that coffee is by far the biggest dietary source of antioxidants (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21490142/" target="_blank">14</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26101616" target="_blank">16</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14506489" target="_blank">18</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19187022" target="_blank">19</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22968335" target="_blank">20</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25280419" target="_blank">21</a>).</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>People tend to get more antioxidants from beverages than foods, and studies from all over the world demonstrate that coffee is the single biggest dietary source of antioxidants.</p>Linked to a Reduced Risk of Many Diseases
<p>Coffee is associated with a reduced risk of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-graphs-that-convince-you-to-drink-more-coffee/" target="_blank">many diseases</a>.</p><p>For example, coffee drinkers have a 23–50% lower risk of type 2 diabetes. Each daily cup is linked to a 7% reduced risk (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15998896" target="_blank">1</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19727658" target="_blank">22</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18842784" target="_blank">23</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20008687" target="_blank">24</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12433517" target="_blank">25</a>).</p><p>Coffee also seems to be very beneficial for your liver, as coffee drinkers have a much lower risk of liver cirrhosis (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11897178" target="_blank">3</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16772246" target="_blank">26</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11557177" target="_blank">27</a>).</p><p>What's more, it may lower your risk of liver and colorectal cancer, and several studies have observed a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17484871" target="_blank">28</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22695871/" target="_blank">29</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18707777" target="_blank">30</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23493733" target="_blank">31</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21920945" target="_blank">32</a>).</p><p>Regularly drinking coffee may also reduce your risk of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease by 32–65% (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17712848" target="_blank">2</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20182026" target="_blank">33</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20182054" target="_blank">34</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10819950" target="_blank">35</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11456310" target="_blank">36</a>).</p><p>Some studies indicate that coffee may benefit other aspects of mental health as well. Women who drink coffee are less likely to become depressed and die by suicide (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21949167/" target="_blank">37</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8604958" target="_blank">38</a>).</p><p>Above all, drinking coffee has been linked to a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-coffee-makes-you-live-longer/" target="_blank">longer lifespan</a> and up to a 20–30% lower risk of premature death (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18559841" target="_blank">4</a>, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17019600" target="_blank">39</a>).</p><p>Still, keep in mind that most of these studies are observational. They cannot prove that coffee caused the reduction in disease risk—only that coffee drinkers were less likely to get these diseases.</p><p><strong>Summary</strong></p><p><strong></strong>Drinking coffee has been linked to numerous health benefits, including a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and liver, heart, and neurological diseases. It may also benefit mental health and help you live longer.</p>The Bottom Line
<p>There are many types of dietary antioxidants, and coffee is a very good source of some of them.</p><p>However, it does not provide the same antioxidants as whole plant foods like <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/is-fruit-good-or-bad-for-your-health/" target="_blank">fruits</a> and vegetables — so while coffee may be the biggest dietary source of antioxidants, it should never be your only source.</p><p>For <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/5-simple-rules-for-amazing-health" target="_blank">optimal health</a>, it's best to get a variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and plant compounds from many different sources.</p>
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Pexels
By Dan Nosowitz
"Savor that cup of coffee while you can," reads the first sentence of a recent CNN article.
<p>That article, along with many others, is a report on <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/1/eaav3473" target="_blank">a new study</a> from researchers at Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, one of the world's biggest and most important botanical research facilities. Most of the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/wild-coffee-extinction-2626258235.html">coverage of the study</a> emphasizes one number: 60 percent of all coffee species are threatened with extinction.</p><p>That number needs context. The idea that coffee may go extinct, that there may be no coffee or that it will become rare, is not really likely, but neither is the study something to brush off. Effectively this is one in a long line of studies and surveys showing how macro forces—climate change, deforestation, pollution—will affect an important crop.</p><p>The <em>Coffea</em> genus, which comprises the fruiting shrubs that give us coffee, is more diverse than most realize. Coffee dorks will doubtless be familiar with the two most important species economically (<em>C. robusta </em>and <em>C. arabica</em>), but not the 120 or so others found in tropical Africa, the islands of the Indian Ocean, and parts of Asia and Oceania. The vast majority of these are not grown on any real commercial scale; many are used locally, but most <em>Coffea</em> species aren't even cultivated, instead existing solely in the wild.</p><p>As with many plants restricted to a certain climate—<a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2018/01/as-climate-changes-so-does-wine/" target="_blank">wine grapes</a>, <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/12/19/571966327/sorry-folks-climate-change-wont-make-chocolate-taste-better" target="_blank">chocolate</a>—climate change is potentially devastating for many <em>Coffea </em>species. Deforestation is a major destructive force in much of the tropics, thanks to growing development, slash-and-burn agriculture, and the booming palm oil industry, among other causes, and here, too, <em>Coffea </em>is at risk. Many <em>Coffea</em> species—not <em>robusta </em>or <em>arabica</em>, but the lesser-known ones—are also limited to small, sometimes isolated populations, where a single event can simply wipe out the entire species. They require forested areas, are not especially adaptable, and require healthy habitats. This is all bad news for the survival of a species.</p><p>But the study is limited to wild <em>Coffea</em> species. Wild coffee is certainly important economically as a whole, but the vast majority of <em>arabica </em>and <em>robusta</em>, which make up almost the entire market, are farmed. These are not going extinct.</p><p>This is not to say, of course, that there's no consequence for a perilous existence of dozens of species of plants. The basics of any extinction hold true for <em>Coffea</em>: it plays a vital role in its ecosystem, in this case providing fruit for animals in addition to shade, protection against erosion, and all the other important things shrubs and trees do.</p><p>From an agriculture perspective, the researchers note that having a diversity of wild species is vital to the health of the coffee industry. The wide variety of coffee plants enable cross-breeding for all sorts of desirable traits, from resistance to droughts to protection against certain pests or diseases.</p><p>Coffee, as a product, is not really in any immediate risk. But losing even these comparatively rare and unknown wild varieties could cause major problems for the industry down the road, hampering the coffee industry's ability to react to the problems that pop up with any crop. And, of course, the basic point is an echo of a multitude of other studies: the whole planet is seriously at risk.</p><p> <em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://modernfarmer.com/2019/01/is-coffee-really-going-extinct/" target="_blank">Modern Farmer</a>.</em><em></em></p>
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Robusta coffee beans growing on a tree. Dag Sundberg / Getty Images
If humans don't wake up now to the threats posed by climate change and habitat loss, we may be in for a permanently sleepy future. A study led by scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew found that 60 percent of wild coffee species are at risk for extinction.
<p>"A figure of 60% of all coffee species threatened with extinction is extremely high, especially when you compare this to a global estimate of 22% for plants," Kew Conservation Department Senior Research Leader Eimear Nic Lughadha told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/16/six-in-10-wild-coffee-species-endangered-by-habitat-loss" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="34cb3" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="RGH9LX1576661877"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1085829556328587265" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">New Kew research suggests that at least 60% of all coffee species are threatened with extinction. ☕️ With 85 millio… https://t.co/6wu7IS6vaB</div> — Kew Gardens (@Kew Gardens)<a href="https://twitter.com/kewgardens/statuses/1085829556328587265">1547716914.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>The research, <a href="http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/5/1/eaav3473" target="_blank">published in Science Advances Wednesday,</a><u> app</u>lied <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/" target="_blank"> International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species</a> standards to the 124 known species of wild coffee and found that 60 percent were at risk for extinction, 45 percent are not held in any seed banks and 28 percent grow entirely outside protected areas.<br></p><p>While commercial coffee is a mix of only two species—Arabica (<em>Coffea arabica</em>) and Robusta (<em>Coffea canephora</em>)—a loss of <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/biodiversity" target="_self">biodiversity</a> among wild coffee species could threaten the long term health of cultivated varieties. </p><p>"If it wasn't for wild species we wouldn't have as much coffee to drink in the world today," lead study author Dr. Aaron Davis of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew told <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-46845461" target="_blank">BBC News</a>. "Because if you look at the history of coffee cultivation, we have used wild species to make the coffee crop sustainable."</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="dbc17" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="L1ZU5K1576661877"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1085679342863081473" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">#Coffee production provides livelihoods for ~100 million people. But #climatechange, pests, diseases & land loss ar… https://t.co/yriR2USnEU</div> — Kew Science (@Kew Science)<a href="https://twitter.com/KewScience/statuses/1085679342863081473">1547681100.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p>Davis explained some of this history in a <a href="https://www.kew.org/blogs/kew-science/high-extinction-threat-coffee-species" target="_blank">write-up</a> for Kew. By the end of the nineteenth century, all cultivated coffee was Arabica coffee. But that proved a weakness when a fungal disease called coffee leaf rust broke out in Asia. Farmers tried to resolve the crisis by planting the resistant Liberica coffee, but it tasted awful. Then, scientists"discovered" Robusta coffee, though it had been cultivated in West Africa on a small scale since the early 1800s. It was both resistant to the fungus, easy to grow and tasty. In the early 1900s, it began to be grown across the tropics and now makes up around 40 percent of the global coffee trade value.<br></p><p>Davis explained how a similar solution might be needed in the future:<span></span></p><blockquote>The increasing severity of pests and diseases, the loss of suitable space to grow coffee and climate change are all having their impact, putting increasing pressure on coffee farmers. There are a number of possible solutions to these problems. Important opportunities are likely to come from the use of wild coffee species, and the incorporation of specific genes from wild plants via breeding. This may seem fanciful to some, but this is exactly what has happened in the past, as given in the example above for Robusta coffee and numerous examples where we have utilized genes from wild coffee diversity to resolve production issues. Might we be using previously unused or under-utilized wild coffee species in the future, or the useful genes they contain?</blockquote><p>This solution will be more difficult, however, if those wild coffee species are extinct. </p><p>The Kew team also worked with Ethiopian researchers to assess the status of wild Arabica coffee, which grows naturally in Ethiopia's highland rainforests, according to BBC News. They found that, if climate change projections are taken into account, it also qualifies an <a href="http://www.ecowatch.com/tag/endangered-species" target="_self">endangered species</a>. Climate factors alone are set to reduce its population by 50 percent or more by 2088.</p><p>The researchers published their findings in a separate article in <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/gcb.14341" style="" target="_blank">Global Change Biology on Wednesday</a>. </p><p>"Given the importance of Arabica coffee to Ethiopia, and to the world, we need to do our utmost to understand the risks facing its survival in the wild," study author Dr. Tadesse Woldemariam Gole of the Environment and Coffee Forest Forum in Addis Ababa told BBC News.</p>Kew Gardens recommends improving seed bank collections for wild coffee and implementing programs where the wild species are used, since that provides incentives for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/conservation" target="_self">conservation</a>. For example, Davis pointed to the <a href="https://www.unionroasted.com/yayu_wild_forest" target="_blank">Yayu Forest Project</a> in Ethiopia where wild coffee is harvested directly from forested areas surrounding an untouched forest where wild Arabica coffee grows, and improvements to quality and price motivate the farmers to preserve the forest that makes the system possible.
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