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Botanical illustration of Coffee
CulinarySourced entry

Coffee

Coffea arabica

The world's favorite caffeine drink. Large reviews link 3 to 4 cups a day with lower risk of several diseases, though these studies show links, not proof.

Safety at a glance

Tap a box to read the safety notes below. “Nothing recorded” means our sources don't cover it, not that it's safe.

What is Coffee?

Plant family
Rubiaceae, the coffee family
Parts used
The roasted seeds (beans), brewed as a drink
Genus
Coffea
Species
arabica

Also called

Arabica Coffee

Traditionally used for

  • Drink

Traditionally described as

  • Roasted seeds (beans)
  • contains caffeine

Natural compounds

Caffeine

How it's prepared

Common ways Coffee is prepared or sold. This isn't advice on how to take it; see Safety below.

Safety

Side effects

  • Too much caffeine can cause a racing heartbeat, higher blood pressure, trouble sleeping, nervousness, shakiness, upset stomach, nausea and headaches. Some medical conditions and medicines can make you more sensitive to caffeine.[1]Health agency

  • Drinking more coffee was linked to a higher risk of bone fractures in women, but not in men.[2]Review or trial

Pregnancy

  • In pregnancy, drinking more coffee was linked to low birth weight, preterm birth and pregnancy loss.[2]Review or trial

  • If you're pregnant or trying to become pregnant, ask your health care provider whether to limit caffeine.[1]Health agency

Breastfeeding

  • If you're breastfeeding, ask your health care provider whether to limit caffeine.[1]Health agency

How much to use

  • The FDA says about 400 mg of caffeine a day, roughly two to three 12-ounce cups of brewed coffee, is not generally linked to harmful effects in healthy adults. People vary a lot in how sensitive they are to caffeine.[1]Health agency

What does the research say?

Research in people

  • A 2017 review of more than 200 meta-analyses, mostly of observational studies, found coffee drinking was more often linked to benefit than harm. The biggest drop in risk was at 3 to 4 cups a day, including lower risk of death from any cause and of heart disease, and lower risk of some cancers and of liver, nerve and metabolic conditions. These studies show links, not proof that coffee causes the benefits.[2]Review or trial

    Technical detail: 3–4 cups/day vs none — all-cause mortality RR 0.83 (95% CI 0.79 to 0.88); cardiovascular disease RR 0.85 (95% CI 0.80 to 0.90).

  • After reviewing more than 1,000 studies, the World Health Organization's cancer agency found no conclusive evidence that drinking coffee causes cancer. Studies showed lower risk of liver cancer and cancer of the womb lining, and no link with cancers of the pancreas, breast or prostate.[3]Health agency

In short

The FDA says up to about 400 mg of caffeine a day is not generally harmful for healthy adults. Ask a health care provider about limiting caffeine in pregnancy.

Sources

  1. [1] Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much? — U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationGovernment health agency
  2. [2] Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes · DOI: 10.1136/bmj.j5024Review or clinical trial
  3. [3] IARC Monographs evaluate drinking coffee, maté, and very hot beverages (Press release No. 244) — International Agency for Research on Cancer (World Health Organization)Government health agency

This information is educational and traditional in nature, and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Unfamiliar word? See what these words mean.