I live in Italy, so coffee is not exactly an occasional treat in my life. It is part of the daily routine and it’s everywhere. It’s woven into work breaks, post-lunch rituals, quick conversations, and those moments when someone says “pausa caffè”, even though everyone knows they mean a tiny espresso. And Italian coffee culture has its own peculiar logic. You can order a coffee and get something that looks almost comically small compared with the giant cups served elsewhere. However, that tiny espresso somehow carries the weight of a full-blown social ritual. Today, I’m embracing the noble winds of journalistic truth and doing what any mildly concerned coffee drinker would do: combing through research, studies, and an unreasonable amount of information online to figure out what we actually know about coffee and caffeine. Turns out that you can have not one, two, three, but five coffee cups a day (with caveats), that coffee is more than just caffeine, and that your body may have a very different opinion about your fifth cup than mine does. To top it off, I’ve brought in the voices of Steph Ley, a BANT-registered nutritionist; Joy Dubost, PhD., a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant; and Dr. Ryan Peterson, an anesthesiologist specializing in substance abuse and addiction medicine. Without further ado, let’s get into it. Olivier Morneau/Pexels (not the actual photo) I’ll admit I didn’t know coffee’s exact origin, so that’s what I’m leading with today: the plant originated in tropical Africa, with Ethiopia considered its birthplace. However, coffee as a drink developed later in Yemen, where people began roasting and grinding the beans before brewing them. By the mid-15th century, coffee had become an established beverage in Yemen and the Arabian Peninsula. From Yemen, coffee spread through the Ottoman Empire and eventually reached Europe through Mediterranean trade routes. European travelers found the drink during the 16th century, and coffeehouses soon appeared across the continent. Italy developed its own coffee culture centuries later, turning the small espresso into a whole national identity. It’s no secret to us humans of the 21th century that coffee’s stimulating effect comes largely from caffeine. But Scientists did not identify the compound until the 19th century: in 1819, German chemist Friedlieb Ferdinand Runge isolated caffeine from coffee beans for the first time. A year later, he published his findings, documenting experiments with both raw and roasted coffee beans. The fun fact is that caffeine does not belong exclusively to coffee, even though its name evidently comes from coffee itself. Plants naturally produce the compound, including tea leaves and kola nuts, and they use it to repel bugs. Manufacturers can extract caffeine from these plants for commercial use. This process allows the natural stimulant to appear in many more modern products. So the molecule Runge isolated from coffee beans now appears in far more than a morning cup. Coffee, tea, cola and energy drinks can all deliver caffeine, but their concentrations vary considerably. Keep this difference in mind, because counting cups alone does not tell you how much caffeine you’re actually consuming throughout the day. But what exactly does caffeine do once it reaches the body? Joy Dubost, PhD., a registered dietitian and nutrition consultant, says its clearest benefit is its effect on alertness and cognitive performance. “Caffeine acts on the central nervous system, which helps explain its ability to reduce fatigue and increase alertness.” Vitaly Gorbachev/Pexels (not the actual photo) For most adults, the American Heart Association says moderate caffeine consumption appears to be generally safe, with research commonly examining amounts up to around 400 milligrams (0,014 oz.) per day. Sure, the number sounds straightforward, but translating it into cups is harder because caffeine levels vary considerably between different coffees and serving sizes. The FDA also uses 400 milligrams (0,014 oz.) as a general daily amount not usually associated with negative effects for most adults. However, it estimates that this can equal roughly two to three 355-milliliter (12-fluid-ounce) cups of coffee. To put this into less complicated words, 400 milligrams could translate into four or five smaller cups of coffee. The size of the cup doesn’t really matter, the true difference becomes clearer when comparing caffeinated products. According to the AHA, brewed coffee has about 9.4 to 20.6 milligrams of caffeine per fluid ounce, while black tea has around 5.9 milligrams. Energy drinks can have anywhere from 3.4 to 20.5 milligrams per fluid ounce, and energy shots often have much higher amounts. Mike Jones/Pexels (not the actual photo) The AHA found that moderate caffeine intake, mostly from coffee, was linked to some possible heart health benefits. Good news for us coffee lovers! Studies showed that people who regularly drink coffee may have lower risks of stroke and, in some cases, coronary artery disease and heart failure. However, there’s a catch, and I’m sure you sensed it already. Steph Ley, a BANT-registered nutritionist who specializes in workplace nutrition, points to one possible explanation for the cardiovascular associations. “Caffeine interacts with the lining of blood vessels and triggers a series of reactions resulting in the production of Nitric Oxide,” she explains. This can cause nearby blood vessels to widen, increasing blood flow and potentially improving their elasticity over time. The researchers, ever the fun sponges, point out that these results show a connection, not direct proof that caffeine actually prevents these diseases. Across the evidence reviewed by the AHA, the most favorable associations often appeared around two to four cups of coffee per day, depending on the cardiovascular outcome studied. At the same time, there is no universal caffeine response. The FDA explains that things like body weight, medications, health conditions, and personal sensitivity all affect how much caffeine someone can handle. Having too much can lead to anxiety, jitters, nausea, headaches, or trouble sleeping. So, general guidelines do not always show what is best for each person. Antoni Shkraba/Pexels (not the actual photo) Coffee is more than just a way to get caffeine. The American Heart Association points out that coffee has several bioactive compounds, such as chlorogenic acids, diterpenes, and trigonelline. Since most studies look at caffeine as part of coffee or other foods and drinks, it is hard to separate the effects of caffeine from those of the other parts of coffee. Joy Dubost emphasizes that coffee is far more complex than its caffeine content suggests. “Coffee is a complex beverage containing caffeine as well as bioactives called polyphenols, particularly chlorogenic acids,” she says. “Coffee contains more than 1,000 identified components,” so the effects observed in research may reflect interactions among several compounds rather than a single ingredient. Chlorogenic acids, which are not related to caffeine, have drawn a lot of interest from researchers. Reviews say they are major polyphenols in coffee and may be linked to antioxidant activity, blood vessel health, and possible effects on blood sugar and gut health. Still, scientists need more studies in people to know how these effects show up in real health outcomes. Coffee contains trigonelline, diterpenes like cafestol and kahweol, and melanoidins, tons of complicated words that form during roasting. In English, these compounds can affect oxidative stress, inflammation, metabolism, and the cardiovascular system. Their impact also depends on the coffee variety, how it is roasted, and the brewing method. The good news is that decaf coffee can offer some of the same benefits as regular coffee. Some studies show that both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee are linked to similar health outcomes, which means caffeine might not be the only factor at play. The AHA also points out that it is hard to separate the effects of caffeine from those of other natural compounds in coffee. The gut might also play a role. Research on coffee’s natural compounds suggests that chlorogenic acids and melanoidins can affect the gut’s bacteria. The AHA adds that these compounds may influence healthy gut bacteria and inflammation. These effects could help explain some of coffee’s health benefits, but more research is needed. So, the story is more complex than just saying “caffeine is good for you.” The AHA says that future studies should look more closely at how caffeine’s effects differ from those of other compounds in coffee and similar drinks. This means that the health benefits of coffee might not be due to caffeine alone. wirestock/Magnific (not the actual photo) Not everyone should try to reach the 400 milligram (0,014 oz.) mark. The FDA points out that people react to caffeine differently, and excessive intake can lead to a faster heartbeat, palpitations, high blood pressure, trouble sleeping, anxiety, jitters, nausea, or headaches. Medications, health conditions, and how your body processes caffeine can also affect your response. Dr. Ryan Peterson, an anesthesiologist specializing in substance abuse and addiction medicine, says some people should be particularly cautious with caffeine because of its stimulant effects. “Caffeine should be consumed cautiously, especially by people who are extra sensitive to stimulants or those struggling with substance abuse,” he explains, adding that it can worsen compulsive behavior and anxiety. Caffeine works fast after you drink it. According to the AHA, it reaches its highest level in your blood about an hour after you consume it and affects different parts of the body, like adenosine receptors and the central nervous system. How strongly you feel these effects depends on your metabolism. Genetics help explain why some people can handle coffee that makes others feel jittery. In fact, Peterson notes that caffeine can contribute to insomnia and palpitations. That is another reason why the same amount of caffeine can feel very different from one person to another. The AHA doesn’t recommend drinking more caffeine for extra health benefits. Their review says that moderate amounts are usually safe for most adults, but higher doses may not be as safe. The statement also points out that caffeine’s effects on heart health can change depending on how much you have, where it comes from, and your own body. Bored Panda Energy drinks are also worth considering because they can pack a lot of caffeine into relatively small servings. According to the AHA, they contain about 11.5 to 69.2 milligrams per 100 milliliters (3.4 to 20.5 milligrams per fluid ounce), while energy shots can contain around 135 to 233 milligrams per 100 milliliters (40 to 69 milligrams per fluid ounce). The AHA also notes that high doses of caffeine from energy drinks have been linked to cardiovascular problems. They most certainly do not give wiiings. Caffeine is absorbed by the body at different rates depending on the product. The AHA explains that the type of food or drink affects how fast caffeine is absorbed. For example, soft drinks release caffeine more slowly than coffee or tea. Ingredients like taurine in energy drinks can make caffeine dissolve and act faster in the body. Highly concentrated caffeine products are even more risky. The FDA warns that quickly taking about 1,200 milligrams (0,042 oz.) of caffeine can cause toxic effects like seizures. Pure powdered caffeine can have huge amounts in just a small amount of powder. These products are not the same as drinking several cups of coffee and should not be used as regular caffeine sources. The Yuri Arcurs Collection/Magnific (not the actual photo) These days, when we say “a cup of coffee,” it seems straightforward, but it’s actually more complicated. The type of beans, how you brew it, and the serving size all make a difference. Caffeine is just one part of what’s in your cup. Even the way you prepare coffee can affect which compounds end up in your drink. The coffee bean itself can also make a difference. Joy Dubost notes that coffee provides polyphenols such as chlorogenic acids, but “the amount of these compounds can vary substantially depending on the coffee bean, roasting level and brewing method.” In other words, two cups of coffee can contain more than just different amounts of caffeine. Take cafestol, for example, a natural compound in coffee. If you use an unfiltered brewing method, more cafestol stays in your drink, but paper filters catch most of it. This is important because cafestol can raise LDL cholesterol. So, even if two cups have the same amount of caffeine, their nutritional profiles might be different. Then there’s what we add to our coffee. Sugar, cream, milk, and flavored syrups can turn a small cup into a much bigger drink. The coffee itself doesn’t change, but once we add ingredients with calories, sugar, or saturated fat, the overall nutrition changes too. This helps explain what the five-cup guideline really means. Five small espressos and five large café drinks both count as five coffees, but they can have very different amounts of caffeine and other ingredients. The FDA points out that caffeine levels can vary a lot between products, so serving size and how the coffee is made are important when figuring out your daily intake. This does not mean coffee is a healthy food, or that everyone should start drinking five cups a day. The evidence shows that moderate coffee drinking can be part of a healthy lifestyle for most adults. The details are important: how much caffeine you get, how the coffee is made, what you add to it, and your own tolerance all play a role. So, I’m not giving up my espresso anytime soon. Living in Italy would make that a particularly difficult promise to keep anyway. I’ll just remember that coffee is more than caffeine, and maybe stop myself before that fifth cup becomes a sixth.
