If you drink coffee regularly, you’re likely familiar with its energizing effects, but the benefits of black coffee go far beyond a morning boost.
Benefits of black coffee are numerous. Coffee is a rich source of health-promoting polyphenols and antioxidants, and drinking organic black coffee in moderation may even prolong your life.
Discover the health benefits of drinking black coffee, how much you should consume, and how to choose the highest-quality brew for your well-being.
Is coffee healthy?
Coffee beans are actually the seeds of Coffea plant berries. Like other seeds, coffee beans are incredibly nutritious and rich in health-promoting polyphenols, including ferulic acid and chlorogenic acid.
1Research published in The BMJ found that drinking as much as three to four cups of coffee per day may be linked to a lower risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, several cancers, and metabolic and liver conditions.
Coffee also contains caffeic acid and caffeine, two unrelated bioactive plant compounds that support brain function and a healthy central nervous system.
While black coffee appears safe and potentially beneficial for most adults, choosing organically grown coffee is critical.
Non-organic coffee is one of the most chemically treated crops and often contains synthetic pesticide residues that can end up in your daily cup of joe.
Pesticide ingestion can lead to adverse health implications, including hormonal imbalances, impaired liver health, and increased cancer risk.
Organically grown coffee is rich in health-promoting polyphenols and is free of harmful contaminants and pesticide residues.
Watch the video below to learn why you should drink black coffee regularly.
Eight benefits of coffee
Coffee doesn’t just give you an energy boost. It has surprising health benefits, including supporting metabolic function and liver health, reducing the risk of chronic inflammatory diseases, and promoting cognitive health.
If you are a coffee drinker, you are already taking advantage of coffee’s many health benefits. However, it’s important to note that research findings primarily relate to plain black coffee.
Highly processed coffee beverages laden with sugar, artificial flavors, and preservatives don’t have the health-promoting properties of high-quality black coffee.
Let’s explore eight powerful health benefits of high-quality black coffee.
1. Weight loss
Black coffee drinkers may find it easier to achieve weight loss than people who don’t drink coffee.
Black coffee is a low-calorie beverage that can increase your metabolic rate and stimulate fat burning. Research published in Physiological Research confirms that coffee inhibits the formation of fat cells and is associated with lower overall body fat.2
Moreover, caffeine benefits weight loss and weight management by promoting satiety and suppressing hunger.
2. Brain health
Drinking coffee can have tremendous benefits for brain health. Coffee boosts mental clarity and concentration, and is also associated with a significantly lower risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Caffeine is a potent neurostimulator that increases the brain’s energy metabolism, activates neuronal activity, and triggers the release of serotonin and dopamine. Both serotonin and dopamine are neurotransmitters crucial for cognitive health and brain functioning.
3. Anticancer
Drinking black coffee can reduce breast, prostate, and colon cancer risk.
The phytochemicals in coffee beans have potent antioxidant properties that protect your cells from oxidation and free radicals. These harmful metabolic by-products can cause DNA damage and mutation linked to cancer development.
4. Anti-inflammatory
Coffee can help your body fight inflammation, which explains why coffee drinkers have a lower risk of inflammatory conditions, including arthritis, metabolic syndrome, and eczema.
Coffee is a rich source of chlorogenic acid, an anti-inflammatory phytochemical that blocks harmful free radicals and inhibits proinflammatory substances that can cause cellular damage and can worsen chronic inflammation.
5. Liver health
Drinking black coffee supports liver health by reducing harmful fat accumulation in liver cells and protecting them from the detrimental effects of toxins and waste products that the liver processes and detoxifies.
Coffee intake is also linked to lower levels of harmful liver enzymes found in individuals with liver cirrhosis.
6. Kidney stones
A study published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases found that daily coffee consumption can reduce the risk of kidney stones.3
Caffeine is a diuretic that increases urinary flow through the kidneys, lowering the risk of kidney stone formation. Increased urination helps clear the kidneys of crystal-forming substances associated with kidney stones, including calcium, oxalates, and uric acid.
7. Type 2 diabetes
According to a study published in Nutrients, regularly consuming black coffee can significantly lower your risk of type 2 diabetes.4
Coffee may also improve beta cell function, which is responsible for producing and secreting insulin. Balanced insulin levels are crucial for metabolic health and prevent high blood glucose levels and diabetes.
In addition, coffee’s chlorogenic acid has been found to have anti-diabetic effects, likely due to its blood sugar-balancing properties and benefits to liver health.
8. Gallbladder health
If you are prone to gallstones or sluggish gallbladder function, coffee is an excellent beverage to promote bile flow and support healthy fat digestion.
Coffee intake stimulates cholecystokinin, a digestive hormone that triggers gallbladder contraction and the release of digestive enzymes into the small intestine.
Healthy gallbladder function and effective gallbladder contraction promote digestive health and lower the risk of gallstone formation.
Side effects of coffee
Although coffee is nutritious and healthy, drinking too much can have significant side effects.
If you struggle to get a good night’s sleep, experience frequent urination, and feel restless or anxious, your coffee intake may be too high.
Caffeine is a potent central nervous system stimulant and one of the most addictive psychoactive substances on the planet.
Consuming caffeine in excess can lead to profound health implications, including:
- High blood pressure
- Increased breathing rate
- Nervousness and anxiety
- Insomnia
- Digestive issues
- Fatigue
Excessive coffee consumption can also increase the risk of nutrient deficiencies as coffee can bind to certain nutrients, such as calcium, iron, and vitamin D, impairing their absorption.
In addition, coffee acts as a diuretic, which can increase the loss of water-soluble vitamins, including vitamin C and vitamin B1.
How much coffee should you drink each day?
Too much caffeinated coffee can result in excessive caffeine intake, which is linked to various potentially harmful side effects.
Consuming around eight ounces of black coffee daily lets you benefit from coffee’s health-promoting properties while avoiding negative health implications.
Decaffeinated coffee can be an excellent alternative, but choosing Swiss water-processed decaf products is essential.
Swiss water-processed coffee is made using chemical-free methods, such as water and carbon filters to remove caffeine from coffee beans.
In contrast, conventional decaf coffee is typically processed with solvents, chemicals, and other potentially harmful toxins.
How to make bulletproof coffee
Bulletproof coffee is a popular drink made by blending black coffee with unsalted grass-fed butter or ghee and medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs).
It’s especially popular among those practicing intermittent fasting or keto, as it provides steady energy without significantly affecting insulin levels.
MCTs are rapidly digested fats that convert directly into ketones, a readily available fuel source that supports fat-burning, enhances ketosis, and promotes mental focus.
The addition of butter or ghee adds more than richness to bulletproof coffee.
As Dr. Berg explains, “Grass-fed butter and ghee provide important fat-soluble nutrients, including vitamins A, D, E, and K2, along with conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and butyrate, which support digestion, immunity, and brain health.”
Because bulletproof coffee is carb-free and rich in healthy fats, it’s an excellent way to support ketosis, curb hunger, and extend fasting periods in the morning.
Here’s how to make bulletproof coffee at home.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup freshly brewed black coffee
- 1 to 2 tablespoons MCT oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoons grass-fed, unsalted butter or grass-fed ghee
Directions:
- Using a blender or milk frother, blend all ingredients for 20 to 30 seconds until smooth and frothy.
Key takeaways
The benefits of black coffee go beyond its energizing effects. When consumed in moderation, black coffee supports metabolic function, brain health, liver detoxification, and even weight loss.
Its natural compounds, including chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and caffeine, help lower inflammation, support fat burning, regulate blood sugar, and protect cells from oxidative stress.
However, too much caffeine can have harmful effects. To promote your health and well-being, enjoy around eight ounces of coffee each day and choose organically grown coffee whenever possible.
FAQ
1. Is coffee healthy?
Yes, coffee is a rich source of healthy polyphenols and antioxidants, and black coffee drinkers have a lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who don’t drink coffee.
Moderate amounts of black coffee promote a healthy weight, lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, may protect you from liver cancer, and promote gallbladder health.
2. Is coffee addictive?
Yes, coffee contains caffeine, a powerful stimulant that can be habit-forming. If you feel irritable or get headaches without your usual cup, it may be a sign of caffeine dependency.
3. How much coffee is too much?
Because of its high caffeine content, too much black coffee can result in side effects, including insomnia, low moods, irritability, and frequent urination.
A medium-sized cup of around eight ounces is the perfect amount to benefit from coffee’s many health benefits without the risk of side effects.
4. Will bulletproof coffee break my fast?
Bulletproof coffee is carb-free and rich in healthy fats that won’t raise your insulin levels and keep your metabolism in a fat-burning mode.
Bulletproof coffee is a keto-friendly beverage that can help prolong your fasting periods and keep you in ketosis.
5. Will MCT oil coffee break my fast?
Bulletproof coffee is a keto-friendly, carb-free drink that won’t break your fast or kick you out of ketosis.
6. Is coffee okay for a fatty liver?
Organic coffee is an excellent choice for people with fatty liver or alcoholic cirrhosis. The phytochemicals and antioxidants in coffee beans are liver-protective and appear to lower harmful liver enzymes in the blood.
Choosing organic is essential to avoid pesticide residues that can burden the liver.
7. Will bulletproof coffee block autophagy?
Autophagy is influenced by several factors, including fasting duration, metabolism, activity levels, and age, all of which can affect when the body initiates this critical repair mechanism.
More extended fasting periods are more likely to stimulate autophagy, and bulletproof coffee can help prolong the time between meals.
8. What is bulletproof coffee?
Bulletproof coffee is a keto-friendly beverage that combines black coffee, medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), and grass-fed butter.
It’s a carb-free drink high in healthy fats. Bulletproof coffee is a highly nutritious keto-approved choice that raises your ketone levels, promotes ketosis, and can help you transition into more extended fasting periods.
Sources
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29167102/’ ↩︎
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8820582/ ↩︎
- https://www.ajkd.org/article/S0272-63862100712-5/fulltext ↩︎
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8066601/ ↩︎
