Is coffee healthy? Research offers the answer.

In Western Europe, coffee is by far the most popular hot drink. In addition to the Scandinavians, who consume up to 9.6 kilograms of coffee per year per person, the Dutch (6.7 kg), the Germans (5.2 kg) and the Belgians (4.9 kg) also get along well with the coffee machine. It is not illogical that questions are quickly asked about this coffee consumption. Does it fit into a healthy diet? Is coffee healthy or unhealthy? How much coffee is healthy or unhealthy? These are questions we often get. Below is the answer to these frequently asked questions.

Is coffee healthy?

Of course, that always depends on how you look at it. The Nutrition Center always makes this clear: nothing is healthy if you exaggerate and do not adopt a healthy diet. According to the Nutrition Center, coffee is healthy if it is drunk without sugar. It is essential that the coffee is filtered properly. Especially with filter coffee, coffee is healthy because the paper filter removes the cafestol from the coffee.

Why is coffee healthy?

First of all, coffee is healthy because it provides the body with moisture. Like water, coffee can be used excellently to meet the moisture requirement and is a good alternative to sugared soft drinks .

Second, coffee is healthy because it has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 10% in those who drink two to four cups daily. The risk of stroke also decreases by 10%. Studies also show that coffee helps lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Since coffee is healthy, research has proven it is undoubtedly a good idea to drink coffee.

In practice, coffee is healthy if it does not contain too much cafestol. Cafestol raises cholesterol. That is why cooking coffee and coffee from a cafetière are not included in the Wheel of Five. Is coffee healthy or unhealthy? The answer to this question largely depends on the brewing method. But of course, it also depends on how much coffee you drink. A little cafestol can't hurt but don't overdo it with coffee consumption, or you'll get too much.

How much coffee is healthy?

Coffee is not always healthy. You must not exaggerate. There is caffeine in coffee. How much coffee is healthy? An adult with a healthy lifestyle can ideally drink four cups of coffee daily. Coffee is healthy for children between 13 and 18 years if not more than one cup is drunk. For pregnant or breastfeeding women, coffee is healthy if they drink no more than two cups of coffee per day. Alternatively, the Nutrition Center recommends decaffeinated coffee. However, it indicates that pregnant women should also drink no more than two cups of decaffeinated coffee per day.