By Amy Orciari Herman
Coffee consumption — in particular, several cups daily — is associated with a wide range of health benefits, according to an umbrella review of meta-analyses in The BMJ.
The review included over 200 meta-analyses of observational or interventional research into coffee consumption and health outcomes in adults. Among the benefits:
- Daily consumption of 3 cups of coffee — regular or decaffeinated — was associated with a 17% lower risk for all-cause mortality, relative to no coffee consumption.
- Caffeinated coffee was linked to lower risks for cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and stroke, with benefits highest at 3–5 cups daily.
- Caffeinated coffee was associated with lower risks for cancer and liver conditions.
- Both regular and decaf coffee appeared to lower risk for type 2 diabetes.
In terms of harms, high coffee consumption in pregnancy was tied to pregnancy loss, low birth weight, and preterm birth. High consumption was also associated with higher fracture risk in women, but not men.
An editorialist writes: "The evidence is so robust and consistent &hellip that we can be reassured that drinking coffee is generally safe." He adds, however, that pregnant women and those at high fracture risk should be educated about possible adverse effects.
Why We Chose This as Our Top Story:
André Sofair, MD, MPH: Over the course of my medical career, the benefits and harms of coffee have been widely debated. I think that this evidence-based analysis offers good guidance to clinicians in counseling their patients.
William E. Chavey, MD, MS: This provides welcome advice for a topic that is subject to frequent questions among our patients.
The BMJ article (Free)
The BMJ editorial (Free)
Background: NEJM Journal Watch General Medicine coverage of coffee and mortality (Your NEJM Journal Watch subscription required)
FROM KITCHN FROM INTERNET:
The Social Aspect of Cuban Coffee
"What certainly distinguishes it [Cuban coffee culture] from U.S. culture, where we grab ventis and go, is the fact that in Cuba, coffee is for socializing. Sure, you might have a small cup in the morning, but it's really a matter of hospitality, brewed on the stove in an espresso pot to share with guests ... preferably over long conversations filled with neighborhood chisme (gossip)," says Julie Schwietert Collazo, bilingual writer and journalist who covers Latin America.
That social element of Cuban coffee consumption is something we often lack in the U.S., where, like Schwietert Collazo points out, our coffee intake is very often on the go; more of a need to fuel up and move on to the next task than to slow down and enjoy a moment with friends.
"This island is all about the wonderful, educated people, who love to have a good time, share good food and drink, and have solidarity to spare," says Gorry. "Also, this is a society where people make time to spend time with people they love — often over a cup of coffee."
Much like other cultures with strong social coffee traditions (like Sweden, Turkey, and Ethiopia, among others), while the coffee is important, it's really just a vehicle for socializing.
To give us a taste what local coffee-drinking culture is really like, I asked Gorry about a favorite coffee memory in Cuba, and if her memory is indicative of anything, it's of the social ritual that coffee creates: "My favorite is probably heading across the bay on the ferry to Regla, climbing the steep streets to visit my 86-year-old friend Carmita. We always sip coffee in her small living room while we catch up and she sells loose cigarettes from her window to supplement her pension. No matter that she is never able to make ends meet — there’s always a cup of coffee ready for us to share."
Coffee as a way to bring people together and slow down, whether or not you're making coffee like a Cuban — I think that's an approach we can all appreciate.
