Studies: Coffee is Beneficial to Health - But It Depends on How You Drink It

Recent studies highlight the health benefits of coffee. Not just a favorite beverage worldwide, coffee also offers significant health advantages for our bodies.

A meta-analysis of 127 studies, published in the journal Annual Review of Nutrition, revealed that drinking 2-4 cups of coffee per day (each cup approximately 237 ml) benefits health significantly. The meta-analysis showed that with this coffee consumption, the risk of cancer is reduced by 20%, type 2 diabetes by 30%, Parkinson's by 30%, and heart disease by 5%.

However, it should be clarified that most studies compared non-coffee drinkers with coffee consumers but did not examine how consumers drink their coffee, with or without sugar, etc. Thus, coffee’s potential benefits might be even greater in reducing certain diseases.

Note, if you're accustomed to drinking your coffee with sugar, or adding plant-based milk (which contains sugar), or consuming flavored coffee (with artificial sweeteners), there's a good chance you're diminishing the health benefits of your coffee.

On the upside, even if you sweeten your coffee with sugar, you're still reducing the risk of Parkinson's and cancer. Using healthier substitutes for sugar could make these benefits even better.

Even if you find it challenging to change your regular coffee habit, know that it's possible. The trick is to change gradually, so adjustments are slow and incremental. For instance, if you're used to adding two tablespoons of sugar, reduce it to 1.5, and continue gradually.

In conclusion, if you manage to minimize the sugar or avoid it entirely, your coffee will be more beneficial to your health and even more nutritious.

It is important to emphasize, do not consume more coffee than the recommended amount, as excessive consumption reduces the health advantages.