Dietitian Highlights Perks of Drinking Coffee

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CLEVELAND - September 29 is National Coffee Day.

Did you know coffee is one of the most popular drinks in America? 

And for good reason, not only is it flavorful, but it also offers many health benefits. 

“Coffee being a plant, it has all the health benefits associated with plants, all the things that we naturally think about. We're talking about antioxidants; we're talking about polyphenols. And with that, we can improve our health by improving our blood sugars, our blood pressures, and cardiovascular health,” explained Beth Czerwony, RD, registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic.

Czerwony said research also shows coffee can help improve our cognitive function with things like focus, memory and alertness. 

So, which kind of coffee is best to drink? 

She said light and medium roasts are recommended since they retain most of their antioxidants, which protect our body’s cells. 

Cold brew can be another option for those with acid reflux. 

She explains that the process to make cold brew removes a lot of the acidity. 

While coffee can offer many health benefits, it’s important not to overdo it by adding a bunch of creamer and sweetener. 

“If we're adding in high fat creamers, whole milks, we're adding in multiple pumps of syrup, or we're adding in just sugar itself, because we're not actually eating those calories, we're just drinking those calories, they can add up. So, you can add hundreds and hundreds of extra calories without even thinking about it,” Czerwony noted.

It's also important to be mindful of your daily caffeine intake. 

According to the FDA, most adults should only have about 400 milligrams of caffeine per day – which is about two to three cups of coffee.