This Is How Much Coffee You Can Drink Daily Before It Hurts Your Health


Whether you're an avid coffee drinker or grab a cup here and there, you'll be excited to know that a new study published in the1 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition1 has determined that we can drink five cups of coffee daily without comprising our heart health.
In fact, previous studies suggest that drinking lots of coffee may have many health benefits including reducing your risk of type 2 diabetes2 and certain cancers as well as boosting brain health and metabolism. While these studies showed positive health outcomes, some research has found coffee consumption to be linked to imbalanced blood sugar levels and weight gain. The present study set out to determine just how many cups people could drink to get benefits without negatively affecting their cardiovascular health.
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The study looked at cardiovascular risk in 347,077 people who drank coffee and found that moving on to the sixth cup of coffee in the day increased the risk of cardiovascular disease by 22 percent.
"In order to maintain a healthy heart and a healthy blood pressure, people must limit their coffees to fewer than six cups a day," said study author Professor Elina Hyppönen, of the Australian Centre for Precision Health in a statement.
This may be great news if you were hoping to grab another coffee this afternoon, but if you're not on the coffee train yet, it's important to point out that coffee isn't for everyone, regardless of its supposed link to health benefits.
Everyone reacts differently to coffee because of how the body metabolizes caffeine—for some the buzz is gentle, and they can head to bed right after cup, while for others, it can create anxiety and make them more tired throughout the day.
Depending on how you feel physically and mentally after a cup of coffee you'll know if your body is tolerating it well. With an estimated 64 percent of Americans drinking a cup of coffee daily, it's helpful to know just how many cups we can drink without putting our heart health at risk.
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Caroline Muggia has a B.A. in Environmental Studies & Psychology from Middlebury College. She received her E-RYT with Yoga Works and is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. A writer and environmental advocate, she is passionate about helping people live healthier and more sustainable lives. You can usually find her drinking matcha or spending time by the ocean.