How Much Coffee Is Healthy?

In healthy people, consuming up to five 125 milliliter cups of coffee throughout the day is harmless to health. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, women should not consume more than three cups (150 ml) a day, as unborn children and infants also absorb the caffeine it contains, but break it down much more slowly than adults. If you suffer from certain diseases, you should discuss coffee consumption with your doctor.

You can even cover part of your daily fluid requirements with the popular hot drink. Because, contrary to what was long believed, coffee does not remove a significant amount of liquid from the body. Although ingredients such as caffeine stimulate the excretion of water, regular consumption leads to habituation and thus to a reduction in the draining effect.

However, how much coffee is recommended can vary greatly in individual cases. Because the roasting process of coffee releases substances that stimulate gastric acid production, people with a sensitive stomach can be prone to heartburn or stomach and intestinal problems. These people often tolerate coffee types that are prepared on an espresso basis much better.

Because the caffeine it contains stimulates circulation, very sensitive people can have problems sleeping – especially if they still consume coffee in the afternoon or evening. Anyone who already suffers from high blood pressure should discuss with their doctor how much coffee is safe for them personally. A good alternative, in this case, can also be the consumption of decaffeinated coffee.

Incidentally, regular coffee does not lead to permanently high blood pressure in healthy people: the stimulating effect wears off after around half an hour. If you drink coffee regularly, after two to three weeks the caffeine will only have a minor or even no effect on your blood pressure.

It has also not been confirmed that coffee increases the risk of developing certain types of cancer. On the contrary: there are scientific findings that indicate a protective effect against certain types of cancer through the polyphenols contained. However, the research is far from over here. Only the risk of esophageal cancer can increase through coffee consumption, which, however, can be attributed less to the ingredients than to the high drinking temperature and thus applies to all hot drinks. If you let your coffee cool down a little before drinking, you don’t have to worry about this either.