National Coffee Day was a few months back, but if you check the numbers, Americans dont need a day designated to their favorite beverage. A recent survey from the National Coffee Association revealed that 63 percent of respondents had consumed coffee in the past 24 hours. We love it for the flavor, the caffeine boost, and in a big way, the culture that surrounds it.
The coffee scene varies across the country, though, and its no surprise that a recent WalletHub comparison of the 100 largest cities determined that Seattle ranks as the best coffee city, followed by New York and San Francisco. Houston checks in with the lowest average price for a pack of coffee, while Honolulu will put the biggest dent in your wallet for the same. Residents of Fremont, Calif., are willing to spend the most, with the highest average annual spending on coffee, while Clevelanders pay the least on average for their daily caffeine buzz.
Just as spending and pricing on coffee varies widely, so too does the thinking on whether or not its good for us. Headlines are all over the place, one day telling us to drink up, the next scaring us off with links to unhealthy caffeine addictions. It has been a confusing topic as research often shows different results, says Ginger Hultin, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and owner of Champagne Nutrition. A challenge in studying any one food or beverage is that humans consume a large variety of foods and beverages every day. Its hard to understand what one of them is doing in isolation.
Hultin says that many factors play into whether coffee is a healthy or unhealthy part of your day. Does a person smoke? Exercise? Do they sleep? she asks. What role do individual genetics play in caffeine metabolism and other aspects of coffee drinking?
Current guidelines on caffeine consumption, says Hultin, cap it at 400 mg per day. Thats about four cups of coffee, she says.
Torey Jones Armul, RD, sports dietetics specialist, says that coffee has real health benefits. Research has shown correlation to reduced risk of depression, lowered oxidative stress and potentially reduced risk of diseases like Parkinsons, Alzheimers, and some types of cancer, she says. It is not proven to prevent these conditions, but when combined with a healthy lifestyle, it may help.
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That said, if youre not a coffee drinker, dont feel compelled to run out to the nearest Starbucks. If you dont like it, thats fine, says Armul. Simple healthy behaviors still trump the singular act of drinking coffee.
Hutlin adds that coffee has a surprising potential benefit as well: Though it could act as a mild diuretic, coffee is still mostly water, so you are taking in additional fluids and it does count toward your daily needs, she says.
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How to tap into the health benefits of coffee - NBC News
