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IBX Insights

The Great Coffee Debate: Healthy or harmful?

By September 11, 2018September 8th, 2023Well-being
Barista hands customer coffee in a recycled paper cup with plastic lid.

If you’re like me, your day doesn’t really start until you’ve had your first cup of coffee. There’s just something about the rich taste and aroma of coffee that helps get me going in the morning.

My love for coffee started many years ago when I was a kid (to my husband’s horror). Growing up in a Hispanic household, everyone drank coffee – even the little ones. I remember having my own taza (coffee cup) at my grandmother’s house for café con leche (coffee with milk). Back then, it made me feel like one of the adults; now, it’s a part of my daily routine. I can’t imagine starting a day without it!

The one small problem with that is that I married a non-coffee drinker (they do exist!) who likes to criticize my java obsession as unhealthy every opportunity he gets, which is basically every day. While I beg to differ with my dear husband, let’s see if science can settle our debate – once and for all.

Pros and Cons of Coffee Consumption

Like most things in life, you may have heard that coffee is good for you one day and bad for you the next. So what does the research show?

Studies have shown that coffee does offer some potential health perks:

On the other hand, there are some potential side effects and health concerns linked with coffee consumption:

It’s personal

Bottom line: While there is evidence that some people may experience side effects from coffee, there is also good evidence that it has overall health benefits. Coffee consumption is considered safe for most adults as long as you don’t experience side effects, so do what works best for you and talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

While this doesn’t resolve the coffee debate between my husband and me, we have decided to call a truce – for now!

 

Veronica Serrano

Mother. Wife. TV junkie. Shopaholic. That’s me in a nutshell – outside of work. As a copywriter at IBX, I enjoy learning about the health and wellness topics that I write about and hope to incorporate more healthy habits into my daily life to give me the energy to keep up with my baby girl.