Coffee and Health

Brewing Good Health: Exploring Coffee’s Health Benefits for National Wellness Month

/ nationalcoffee / Leave a comment

It’s National Wellness Month, a time for celebrating and sharing all of the ways we keep ourselves happy and healthy. “Wellness,” of course, can mean many different things. The Global Wellness Institute defines wellness as the active pursuit of activities, choices, and lifestyles that lead to a state of holistic health.  

Some may picture green juice and yoga classes when they think about wellness, but this definition makes clear that many things can contribute to wellness – from enjoying time with family and friends to enjoying a balanced diet, with or without yoga mats! 

For coffee drinkers, we know that coffee contributes a lot to the “happy” category. Not only do our beloved coffee beverages put smiles on our faces, but they also put a pep in our steps for the final month of summer fun. This month, though, remember that coffee also has so much more to offer when it comes to staying healthy. 

Coffee itself boasts myriad unique health benefits, perhaps thanks to the thousands of naturally-occurring antioxidants and polyphenols in every cup. Drinking coffee is associated with a reduced risk of a wide range of chronic diseases and even a reduced risk of multiple cancers.  

In fact, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recommends drinking coffee “regularly,” and the American Cancer Society (ACS) has concluded that coffee reduces the risk of multiple cancers including liver cancer, endometrial cancer, cancers of the mouth, pharynx and larynx, as well as basal cell skin cancer and melanoma.  

Overall, coffee drinkers live longer, happier, healthier lives. Multiple prospective studies encompassing hundreds of thousands of people – for example, these studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine and Circulation – have found that drinking coffee is associated with increased longevity. Another study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that compared with non-coffee drinkers, participants with the highest level of coffee consumption had a statistically significant lower all-cause mortality. 

Coffee can also help achieve shorter-term health goals. Coffee consumption is associated with maintaining a healthy body weight and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, another leading cause of ill health for Americans. A study published in The Journal of Nutrition in 2020 found that higher coffee consumption (both caffeinated and decaffeinated) was associated with “significantly lower total body fat percentage and trunk body fat” in women.  

Wellness includes health from head to toe – and coffee delivers. A literature review conducted by NCA’s science advisor in 2020 found that drinking coffee is associated with up to ⅓ reduced risk of depression. Some studies even suggest that coffee has the potential to help alleviate the symptoms of neurocognitive disorders like ADHD.  

It seems like new evidence about coffee’s unique health impacts emerges all the time. One recently-published study conducted in Portugal found that drinking coffee increased activity in parts of the brain involved in short-term memory, attention, and focus. (Note that ingesting caffeine on its own did not have the same effect). New findings conducted by researchers at the University of Verona showed that enjoying espresso helps to destroy rogue tau proteins that gather in the brain and kill neurons, a process that is believed to be involved in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease- researchers say these results pave the way for more research into treatment and prevention.  

To put it simply: your favorite cup of coffee is a great way to support and celebrate wellness this month and every month. 

Celebrating Coffee During America’s Birth Month

/ nationalcoffee / Leave a comment

This year, America celebrated its 247th birthday, but did you know that coffee has been one of America’s favorite beverages for even longer? In fact, there is evidence that coffee came to the colonies as early as the days when Captain John Smith and others helped to found Jamestown.  

In 1670, Dorothy Jones became the first person licensed to trade coffee in the colonies, and later, drinking coffee came to be seen as a patriotic act. Choosing coffee over tea (and dumping tea into the Boston Harbor) was associated with some of America’s Founding Fathers: George Washington not only imported beans from Yemen, but even attempted to grow coffee (not so successfully) at Mount Vernon.  

From those early days, coffee has cemented itself as a staple in American culture. Today, two-thirds of Americans enjoy coffee each day (per our National Coffee Data Trends report), drinking an estimated 491 million cups of coffee daily. 

Among American coffee aficionados, we can find some mega-stars to add to our list of American coffee icons. 

  • In 2012, Leonardo DiCaprio partnered with La Colombe to launch a signature coffee line called “Lyon,” benefiting the actor’s environmental sustainability efforts. 
  • In 2022, Tom Hanks launched “Hanx for Our Troops” coffee, with profits donated to veteran support organizations. 
  • Internet cool-girl Emma Chamberlain started “Chamberlain Coffee” in 2020, partnering with Food4Farmers to support food security for families in coffee-farming communities.  
  • Boston-born actor Ben Affleck’s undying love for Dunkin’ is well known. This year, he even served up a Dunkin’ Super Bowl ad! 
  • Pop legend Britney Spears included a coffee scent in one of her successful perfume collections. 
  • When “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee” host Jerry Seinfeld was asked why coffee is so central to our culture, Seinfeld said: “I think the answer is we all need a little help, and coffee’s a little help with everything.” We couldn’t agree more! 

Famous or otherwise, coffee drinkers may be interested to know that evidence shows coffee is associated with many unique health benefits. For example, a comprehensive review published in the New England Journal of Medicine concluded that “consumption of 3 to 5 standard cups of coffee daily has been consistently associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases.” 

From the earliest coffee drinkers in colonial Jamestown to today’s millions of coffee drinkers and coffee businesses, people have made coffee part of the fabric of America for centuries. And we’re proud to say that it will undoubtedly be part of our culture for generations to come.  

We think that’s something to celebrate. 

National Cancer Survivor Month: Coffee’s Connection to Cancer Prevention and Treatment

/ nationalcoffee / Leave a comment

Regular readers here know that drinking coffee is associated with a wide array of health benefits and that the body of robust, independent scientific evidence built up over recent decades continues to grow stronger with each passing year. 

Coffee provides a wide range of health benefits.

In honor of National Cancer Survivor Month, it’s particularly fitting that we take a deeper look at the research associating coffee with a reduced risk of multiple cancers, as well as with improved health and longevity for cancer survivors.

Among the many major leading health authorities and independent organizations that have highlighted coffee’s unique health benefits is the World Health Organization (WHO). After a thorough review of existing evidence in 2015, WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) confirmed that drinking coffee is associated with a reduced risk of cancers of the liver and uterine endometrium.

In 2020, the American Cancer Society updated its guidelines for diet and physical activity for cancer prevention, concluding that drinking coffee likely reduces the risk of multiple cancers including liver cancer, endometrial cancer, cancers of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx, as well as basal cell skin cancer and melanoma. 

Meanwhile, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) has also confirmed coffee’s association with reduced risk of endometrial and liver cancers. Decaf drinker? You’ll be pleased to hear that AICR says most human studies show a similar reduction in cancer risk when looking at regular and decaf coffee. These are just some of the reasons why IACR recommends coffee as something to “eat regularly.”

These sentiments were echoed by the World Cancer Research Fund which found “strong evidence” that coffee reduces the risk of liver and womb cancers as well as evidence of reduced risk of mouth, pharynx and larynx, and skin cancers. In fact, coffee is the only antioxidant food shown to have a protective effect against melanoma. 

The benefits of drinking coffee don’t stop at reducing the risk of developing cancer – several studies have discovered a link between coffee consumption and improved outcomes after a cancer diagnosis. Research has found that coffee consumption is even associated with higher rates of survival in breast cancer survivors and slower rates of progression and death in patients with advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer. 

Seeing all this evidence of coffee’s unique health benefits, it may be surprising that researchers still don’t know exactly why we’re seeing these effects. 

Many attribute it to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the approximately 1,000 naturally occurring compounds in coffee beans and hundreds more that develop during the roasting process. 

Coffee researchers have identified the need for more research into disease prevention and even the potential for clinical benefits of coffee for the treatment of cancer and other inflammatory diseases. 

There are plenty of motivations for drinking coffee: the great taste, the mood boost, the great taste, the cognitive benefits, and of course, the great taste (see what we did there?). But it can’t hurt to know that evidence supports adding coffee’s anti-inflammatory properties and health benefits to the long list of reasons to pour another cup. 

Coffee’s Journey through COVID-19: What Changed—and What Didn’t

/ nationalcoffee / Leave a comment

The COVID-19 pandemic turned everything on its head, from how people understood their health, to work schedules, travel ability, and more.

One routine that has stayed constant, however, was America’s love for coffee. COVID may have changed where and how Americans drink coffee, but never how much. The latest edition of the National Coffee Data Trends (NCDT) report, released last month and based on surveys conducted in January 2023, illustrates coffee’s continued recovery, renewed growth, and unique staying power as COVID-19 has moved out of its most acute phases.  

91% of past-week coffee drinkers now buy coffee away from home at least once per week.  

Unsurprisingly, due to quarantines and shifts to work from home in many industries, the pandemic resulted in a massive increase in drinking coffee at home and a similarly significant decrease in drinking coffee away from home.  

Between January and July 2020, coffee consumption outside of the home fell by almost 20%. While past-day coffee drinking away from home remains below pre-pandemic levels, it has rebounded almost 13% since then, showing a clear path toward recovery.  

Now that COVID restrictions have eased, coffee drinkers are returning to their pre-pandemic routines. 91% of past-week coffee drinkers now buy coffee away from home at least once per week.  

And, as Americans are getting back to work in offices, coffee is getting back to work too. In the most recent polling, 32% of Americans reported having an in-office coffee station, up 6% since mid-pandemic (January 2021).  

Coffee was not completely immune from lasting pandemic impacts, of course. Just like many restaurants continue to use QR-code menus, and office buildings keep refilling hand sanitizer dispensers, some new coffee habits appear to be here to stay.  

Source: 2023 National Coffee Data Trends

The Spring 2021 NCDT report (mid-pandemic), found that 30% of Americans had discovered new coffees they could enjoy at home, and 23% had purchased a new coffee machine for their household. For some coffee drinkers, trying new things meant doing less work at home and leaning into convenience: between January 2020 and January 2021, drive-through usage among coffee drinkers skyrocketed by nearly 30%.  

App usage also jumped significantly during the beginning of the pandemic. From January to July 2020, app usage among past-week coffee drinkers buying coffee outside the home jumped by more than 60%.  

The appeal of options like drive-through, apps, and delivery seems to have staying power. App usage (29% of past-week coffee drinkers) has declined somewhat from its peak in July 2020 (39%) but remains above the 24% observed in January 2020.  

Similarly, drive-through use (currently, 59% of past-day coffee drinkers who bought their coffee outside the home) has declined from pandemic peaks (62%) but remains well above the pre-pandemic rate of 48%.  

In the face of the unprecedented challenges brought on by COVID-19, coffee has proven its remarkable resilience. The coffee experience has transformed — as have many aspects of our daily lives — but coffee seems to have weathered the pressure of the pandemic and come out maintaining its position as America’s favorite beverage. 

Learn more about the NCA’s National Coffee Data Trends.

Celebrate National Nutrition Month With a Cup of Coffee

/ nationalcoffee / Leave a comment

Coffee is an everyday staple for many Americans – in fact, more Americans (66% of adults) drink coffee each day than any other beverage. NCA conducts the longest-running study of consumer coffee habits in the United States, and our most recent data show that not only is coffee maintaining its popularity overall, but it’s also more popular than ever with younger generations. In September 2022, 51% of 18 to 24-year-olds drank coffee each day, surpassing the previous record of 50% from September 2020.

Whether as fuel for our mornings, an afternoon boost, or just for the flavor and aroma – Americans love coffee. And during March – National Nutrition Month – there is even more reason to celebrate coffee’s unique benefits! 

For Nutrition Month, let’s start with the basics. Coffee is a calorie-free food, as defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). That is, the USDA Nutrient Database reports the calorie content of 8 ounces of coffee (without sweeteners, creamers, or other additives) as 2.37 calories. With less than 5 calories per serving, coffee qualifies as a “calorie-free” food. While it doesn’t have calories, coffee does contain more than 1000 natural compounds that may be related to its health impact. For example, coffee is a major source of antioxidants in U.S. diets. 

The 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include coffee as a beverage that can be part of healthy dietary patterns. When it comes to coffee’s place in healthy diets, it’s reasonable to wonder about the impact of ingredients commonly added to coffee – for example, dairy (or dairy alternatives) and sweeteners. Our data show that 35% of past-day coffee drinkers take their coffee without any milk or creamers and 54% take it without sugar or sweetener. Just 29% use dairy or dairy alternatives and 27% use sugar. Importantly, if those who enjoy coffee with a bit of sugar (1-2 tsp per cup) have 3 cups of coffee a day, they will have consumed just an additional 48-96 calories. A 2022 analysis from the UK Biobank Study, one of the best-designed prospective cohort studies in the world, associates greater longevity with coffee drinking. This association with higher longevity was even found among those who consume sugar-sweetened coffee.  

So, what are the specific health benefits of coffee? Decades of independent scientific evidence show that drinking coffee is associated with living longer, healthier, happy lives. Prospective studies, published in peer-reviewed journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine and Circulation, encompassing hundreds of thousands of people in the United States, United Kingdom, other European countries, South Korea, and elsewhere show increased longevity in coffee drinkers. In fact, a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that compared with nonconsumers, participants with the highest level of coffee consumption had a statistically significant lower all-cause mortality. Moreover, among women, there was a statistically significant inverse association of coffee drinking with circulatory disease mortality and cerebrovascular disease mortality. 

In a blog post last month, we discussed in detail coffee’s positive impact on heart health. In addition to being associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (the leading cause of death for Americans), drinking coffee is associated with a reduced risk of multiple cancers. The American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) recommends drinking coffee “regularly” and the American Cancer Society (ACS) has concluded that coffee reduces the risk of multiple cancers including liver cancer, endometrial cancer, cancers of the mouth, pharynx, and larynx, as well as basal cell skin cancer and melanoma. 

These statements are backed up by dozens of high-quality studies. One study found that coffee is the only antioxidant food associated with reduced risk of the most common type of skin cancer, cutaneous melanoma. According to the ACS, skin cancer is “by far the most common type of cancer.” In fact, one in every five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.

Coffee consumption is also associated with maintaining a healthy body weight and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, another leading cause of ill health for Americans. A study published in The Journal of Nutrition in 2020 found that higher coffee consumption (both caffeinated and decaffeinated) was associated with “significantly lower total body fat percentage and trunk body fat” in women.  

Evidence indicates that moderate coffee consumption is associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes. According to Diabetes UK, research has indicated a “notably lower risk” of type 2 diabetes for coffee drinkers, about 40% reduced risk for those who drink 3 cups/day. The organization says decaffeinated coffee may have particular benefits for people living with diabetes. Specific studies have supported this finding. For example, a study published in Nutrition Reviews found that coffee consumption is inversely associated with the risk of Type 2 Diabetes; this may be due to coffee’s antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects, among other benefits.  

As if that weren’t good news enough, drinking coffee is also associated with mental health benefits. Meta-analyses of studies including more than 300,000 individuals found that each cup of coffee reduced the risk of depression by about 8%, with the greatest benefits from four cups per day.  

We could go on (and we have – for example, in our recent comment to FDA regarding its draft rule on products eligible to be labeled as “healthy”). The evidence is clear: coffee makes unique contributions as part of healthy dietary patterns that support good nutrition and health. 

One recent column published in The Atlantic went so far as to call coffee “a miracle.” That particular claim isn’t scientific, but we tend to agree with the sentiment! This month and every month, we hope the evidence on coffee and health gives you an extra reason to enjoy your favorite brew.

Hearts ♥️ Coffee 

/ nationalcoffee / Leave a comment

It’s well-understood that coffee is good for the soul – a welcome companion to add some get-up-and-go to any morning (or afternoon!) Less known, however, might be coffee’s unique impacts beyond that burst of joy and energy. 

In fact, coffee is associated with a reduced risk of multiple cancers and chronic diseases, including liver and endometrial cancers and heart disease. That’s right, coffee is good for the heart and the soul! And there’s no better time than American Heart Month to celebrate all the ways coffee supports heart health. 

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for Americans. In 2020, nearly 700,000 people in the United States died from heart disease, and every year more than 800,000 suffer heart attacks.  

While there are countless, complex factors that determine an individual’s risk for heart disease, common risk factors include diabetes, high weight and/or obesity, poor diet, and a sedentary lifestyle. The federal government has identified combatting risk factors like type 2 diabetes, obesity, and hypertension as top health priorities.  

A large body of scientific evidence gives reason to think coffee can help. Dating back to at least 2008, large, high-quality studies have consistently shown that drinking up to 6 cups of coffee per day is associated with a significantly decreased incidence of high blood pressure for those who don’t already have it.  

Other studies show that drinking coffee is associated with well-functioning metabolisms and can help people maintain a healthy weight, even those with genetic predispositions toward obesity.  

A 2020 study found that participants who drank 4 cups of coffee per day showed a loss of fat mass and reduced levels of excreted creatinine- a hormone which if found to be excreted at high levels can be an indicator of diabetes.  

Just last year, a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that decaffeinated, ground, and instant coffee, particularly at 2–3 cups per day, were all associated with significant reductions in incident cardiovascular disease and mortality.  

One study published in the American Heart Association’s Stroke journal found that drinking just one cup of coffee per week reduced the risk of death (from any cause) by 14%, and the protective effect was particularly pronounced in heart attack survivors. Coffee drinkers who previously survived a heart attack were 22% less likely to die prematurely.  

Some researchers have even concluded that coffee can help heal a broken heart – a protein found in coffee promotes heart cell health and can help protect cells from dying after a heart attack. The same study also notes that coffee consumption resulted in improved cardiovascular function in elderly populations and concludes that coffee could serve as an additional protective dietary factor for older people. 

If that weren’t enough, coffee can also help support heart health by contributing to other healthy habits like exercise. For example, coffee consumption can help improve performance and endurance as well as help muscles recover more efficiently.  

In short, your morning coffee (or coffees, if you’re anything like me) is doing a lot more than making the work day more enjoyable. It’s working to keep your heart healthy and your body moving. If that isn’t a good reason to love your brew even more, I don’t know what is.  

Cold Brew Safety – What You Need to Know

/ nationalcoffee / Leave a comment

By Dr. Mark Corey, NCA Director of Science & Policy

Updated: November 2, 2023

Over the past few years, cold brew has exploded in popularity. According to the Spring 2022 National Coffee Data Trends survey, the number of people drinking cold brew has doubled since 2016. While cold brew isn’t a new preparation method by any means, its newfound ubiquity calls for a clear voice on cold brew safety and preparation. That’s why the National Coffee Association has created the Cold Brew Safety Guide for Retailers, the newest addition to our Cold Brew Toolkit. 

First, we should be very clear: Cold brew is perfectly safe when prepared, stored, and served properly. However, food safety and complying with myriad local, state, and federal health regulations is not an area suited to guesswork. Understanding the risks associated with mishandled food and the steps necessary to mitigate those risks is the responsibility of any food service establishment. The potential for foodborne illness that can result in sick customers, product recalls, and a damaged reputation makes our safety guide an absolute necessity for retailers that serve cold brew.

Foodborne illness and cold brew: What are the risks? 

The main concern that health inspectors have regarding cold brew is the potential growth of bacteria (EDITOR’S NOTE 11/2/2023: NCA commissioned a challenge study to determine whether toxin-producing pathogens could grow in cold brew coffee. The results confirm that cold brew is extremely low risk for the growth of these pathogens.  This post has been updated to reflect the new data, which you can find in our NCA Cold Brew Challenge Study Whitepaper — a valuable tool to have on hand when a health inspector visits your facility.) Health inspectors may be looking for a range of pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli), Listeria monocytogenes (Listeria), Salmonella spp. (Salmonella), Staphylococcus aureus (Staph), Clostridium botulinum (C. bot.), and Bacillus cereus.

We encourage you to visit the NCA Cold Brew Resource Center which includes our newly-available Cold Brew Challenge Study White Paper, our Cold Brew Safety Guide for Retailers, and several other cold brew-focused resources.

Not a member? Join today.

Keeping cold hot: 3 things every cold brewer should know about food safety

/ nationalcoffee / Leave a comment

By William “Bill” Murray, President & CEO, National Coffee Association USA

While not a new format by any means, cold brew has shot up in popularity in recent years and is expected to keep growing. About 16% of coffee drinkers reported having had cold brew in the past week, according to the NCA National Coffee Drinking Trends report – up from only 8% in 2016.  What hasn’t kept pace, however, are clear food safety best practices, guidance, and regulations to help keep this massively popular product – and the customers who demand it – safe. It is crucial to stress that cold brew coffee, like traditionally prepared coffee, is generally safe – but changing times and evolving brew methods call for food safety vigilance – despite coffee’s long, safe track record.

That’s why, with help from our team of scientists on the NCA Science Leadership Council (and support from our cold brew partner BUNN), NCA has created the all-new Cold Brew Safety Guide for Retailers along with several other new resources to help coffee retailers safely brew, store, and serve cold brew – one of the hottest drinks in coffee today.

Here are three key things every cold brew retailer should know to help keep their cold brew coffee food-safe:

1. The “danger zone” for cold brew where bacteria can grow is 41-140˚F. 

Brew, store, and serve your cold brew at a temperature of 40˚ F or below to minimize the risk of pathogens like botulism that could cause foodborne illness. Above 140˚F, most toxin-producing bacteria are killed. However, while cold brew doesn’t technically have to be served cold, it may lose some of the smooth taste and flavor your customers have come to expect from cold brew if heated above this temperature. 

2. Retail dispensed cold brew (i.e., made on-premises in a coffee shop) and RTD cold brew are not created equal – and each requires special safety considerations.

Text Description automatically generated

RTD packaged cold brew is cold brew that is manufactured and bottled under aseptic conditions in a manufacturing facility following FDA’s low-acid food regulations (21 CFR Part 113), whereas dispensed cold brew is often prepared and served on-site at a retail location and is regulated by a local health inspector following FDA’s Food Code. 

Dispensed cold brew is generally prepared at 40-70˚F overnight at a retail location using roasted coffee and filtered water and can be infused with nitrogen to make nitro cold brew. The cold brew can be stored in airtight or covered (non-airtight) containers.

Health inspectors examining a retail dispensed cold brew operation may require a HACCP Plan – see more on HACCP Plans below. 

NCA’s 2018 Cold Brew Toolkit for Industry dives into RTD cold brew safety considerations, while dispensed retail cold brew (and its potential food safety risks) are covered extensively in the just-released NCA Cold Brew Safety Guide for Retailers (2022). Both are available here. 

 3. You might need a HACCP Plan.

Every retail cold brew operation should determine whether a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plan is necessary. This seven-step framework is critical in reducing hazards in food to acceptable levels, and consists of:

  • Hazard analysis.
  • Critical Control Point (CCP) identification.
  • Establishing critical limits.
  • Establishing monitoring procedures.
  • Setting corrective actions.
  • Setting verification procedures.
  • Establishing record-keeping and documentation.

A HACCP Plan is generally not required in retail locations unless the cold brew is brewed, held, and served above 41˚F, or if it is held in a container with an airtight lid for over 48 hours.  NCA offers a model HACCP Plan that our Members can refer to when developing food safety protocols for their own retail cold brew business.  

You can learn more about NCA’s Cold Brew safety resources in our NCA Cold Brew Toolkit, which includes our new Cold Brew Safety Guide for Retailers, our 2018 Toolkit for Industry, a model Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plan, answers to frequently asked questions about cold brew and a compliance checklist to ensure you’re ready when the health inspector comes knocking. 

NCA: We serve coffee (and want the cold brew coffee YOU serve to continue its long record of food safety.)

More than a mood booster: Coffee’s role in supporting mental health

/ nationalcoffee / Leave a comment


By William “Bill” Murray, NCA President & CEO

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month, an important time to recognize that nearly 20% of Americans are believed to experience mental illness. Offering care, empathy, and support to ourselves, and others – and openly discussing mental health issues – are all important for our wellbeing.

There’s no substitute for seeking help from professional healthcare providers and finding support from family and friends, but there are small steps we can take to support our mental health. For example, there is a growing body of literature that recognizes the positive effects exercise has on anxiety, stress, and depression. And yes, your daily cup of coffee can play a mood-boosting role in the short term.

The 66% of Americans who drink coffee each day probably already appreciate the mood boosting benefits of our favorite brew. In fact, evidence shows that coffee’s mental health benefits go beyond that warm and fuzzy first-cup feeling.

Studies have found that drinking coffee is associated with up to ⅓ lower risk of depression. An analysis of multiple third party, independent scientific studies conducted by former NCA Science Advisor and Harvard University neurologist Alan Leviton found that not only is drinking coffee associated with decreased depression risk, but that the greatest mental health benefits come from drinking at least two cups of coffee per day. 

Of almost 10,000 adults studied in the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, those who drank at least 2 cups of coffee per day experienced a 32% lower prevalence of self-reported depression than people who did not drink coffee.

In a study of 14,000 university students in Spain who continue to be followed, those who drank at least four cups of coffee per day were more than 20% less likely to be diagnosed with clinically-significant depression.

While further research is necessary to determine the exact relationship between mental health and the more than 1,000 natural compounds found in coffee, the positive impact it has on mental health may be related to certain anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, and microbiome-promoting properties – properties that are also associated with coffee drinkers’ significantly reduced risk of developing certain cancers and chronic diseases.

Scientists think that some of coffee’s natural compounds called phenols and melanoidins may have “prebiotic” effects – that is, they may help healthy gut bacteria produce fatty acids and neurotransmitters that benefit mental health.

Whatever your moments of self-care look like, take time to check in on your own mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, please know you are not alone. Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text HELLO to 741741.

In the meantime, call a friend, connect with family, find some quiet time away from all the devices, and enjoy a simple cup of coffee – which, it turns out, is more “amazing” than “simple.” After all, while you care about coffee – coffee cares for you, too. What other beverage does that?

NCA: We Serve Coffee.

 Not sure if you’re an NCA Member? Check our Membership list. If you’re not a member but could benefit from access to this research or other key industry resources, explore your Membership options.

NCA Submits Comments to 2020-2025 US Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee

/ nationalcoffee / Leave a comment

Related: NCA Update from the 2020 US Dietary Guidelines Scientific Review

The following is an excerpt from the latest NCA Member Alert

Do you remember the Food Guide Pyramid or MyPlate?

Every 5 years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issues a new edition of the Dietary Guidelines.  These are dietary recommendations for Americans to practice healthy eating habits. 

Shaped by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC), these guidelines have an enormous impact on US perceptions and behaviors regarding nutrition and health, which is why it’s critical to communicate the science on coffee and health.

Continue reading →