Coffee isn’t “bad for you”, it’s delicious and wakes you the $%#! up.

There are few foods that have faced more controversy, confusion or contradiction than coffee. Multitudes of reports have been released over the years with as many touting the benefits, as there are proclaiming the evil of this ground, burnt bean water. In fact, we had just been in a nice long period of thinking coffee was “good for us” after the results of a study released in 2017, and then…. a judge ruled that your beloved Venti Soy Latte must now be labelled as a carcinogen in the state of California.

So is coffee that bad for me? Does it cause cancer?

No. In fact, it may even protect against some forms of cancers. The reason coffee is being labelled as a carcinogen is due to a chemical called acrylamide. Acrylamide is a byproduct of roasting coffee beans and is also present in many of the cooked foods we eat such as bread, french fries and nuts.

The cancer talk around acrylamide started in 1984, when a study done on rats showed the chemical caused tumours in the lungs, testes, and thyroid gland. Subsequent studies and risk assessments with humans, have not shown any reliable links to cancer. A long-term study on workers who were employed at an acrylamide production plant (and worked in direct contact with the chemical on a daily basis) showed no increase in cancer-related deaths. Due to the results of animal studies however, the WHO still considers acrylamide to be an active carcinogen.

Aside from acrylamide, coffee can be acidic and can trigger acid reflux in some people. If you find coffee is routinely causing acid reflux or heartburn, then you may need to consider cutting back. Not only is reflux uncomfortable, but chronic reflux can predispose you to esophageal malignancies later in life.

Braisen Fact: Contrary to popular belief, cold brew coffee is not actually less acidic than regular hot brewed coffee. Cold brew is often marketed as a less acidic replacement for regular coffee, but studies have shown the pH level of the two brewing methods to be very similar.

Okay but… I heard caffeine was bad, right?

With coffee (and like most things) it is simple: Too much of a good thing, can be a bad thing.

Coffee contains natural chemicals which affect various systems in your body, with the most notable being caffeine…

We know caffeine as being the mild stimulant that wakes us up in the morning and keeps you alert throughout that long staff meeting on Tuesday afternoon. Caffeine has many positive effects and has been shown to temporarily improve mood, increase mental alertness, mental vigilance, cognitive function and physical endurance.

Caffeine has always been a concern for children, people with heart disease and pregnant and lactating women. For children it is probably not a good idea for them to drink coffee, as they weigh much less than adults, which intensifies the effects of caffeine. However studies, testing doses between 50-300mg have not shown any harmful affects from acute caffeine intake.

A large review on the safety of caffeine determined it is generally safe even for people with heart disease and women who are pregnant or lactating at low to moderate doses (40-400mg/day). Which is basically the equivalent of the caffeine content of 2 Large Double Doubles.

Negative effects associated with caffeine such as: increased anxiety, dehydration, heart arrhythmia, headaches and insomnia occur with widely differing rates, based on many different factors. Studies show that these effects often happen in people who have low caffeine tolerance and/or in doses higher than 400mg/day.

Moderate your coffee/caffeinated beverage consumption and you can make caffeine work wonders for you!

Bottom line: Savour your coffee, cuz it’s delicious.

Sure caffeine is great and it wakes you up, but if you’ve had really good coffee you know what really matters is the flavour! Whether it is brewed with a french press, pour over, moka pot or a simple drip style machine, investing in good coffee makes all the difference.

Coffee may not cause cancer, but drinking 8 cups a day may prevent you from getting ANY of your much needed beauty sleep. It is a food item, not a medication – drinking coffee should be about its deep roasty flavour and warm, full-bodied mouthfeel not about whether it is necessarily “good for you” or “bad for you”.

Invest in some freshly roasted coffee if you can, it is totally worth it.

In the words of Michael Pollan (sort of…)

Drink good coffee. Mostly from freshly roasted beans. Not too much.

-J