From Lab to Life: Coffee’s Health Benefits

These days, it seems as if the world runs on hydrocarbons – and the price of oil reflects an apparent shortage of them.

Let me, however, make the case that the world runs on coffee, not oil. Worldwide, more than two billion cups of coffee are consumed every day – or almost one cup for every three people on the planet. To make this coffee, 180 million 60-kg bags of coffee beans are ground every year.

The United States drinks over 400 million cups daily—but the highest per-person consumption happens in Northern and Western Europe. After water, coffee is the most consumed beverage on Earth and the world’s second most traded physical commodity (after oil).  Two thirds of U.S. adults drink coffee daily.  In recent years, the price of coffee has risen to historic highs, partly due to the impact of climate change on the growth of coffee beans.

So – is coffee and its key ingredient caffeine bad for us?  Are we coffee drinkers impairing our health?

Apparently not.  Science Daily (May 17) reports on research that reveals the health benefits of coffee. *   “…large studies involving hundreds of thousands of people found no strong evidence that moderate coffee drinking increases the risk of developing hypertension. In fact, coffee also contains natural compounds that may help blood vessels function better.”

Here is a summary of the health benefits of coffee:

* The Conversation. “Scientists reveal the surprising truth about coffee and blood pressure.” ScienceDaily, 17 May 2026. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/05/260515233343.htm>.

“…for most people, moderate drinking isn’t the heart villain it’s often made out to be.

“Coffee contains hundreds of phytochemicals: compounds that contribute flavor, aroma, or influence health and disease. Phytochemicals that directly affect blood pressure include melanoidins, which regulate the body’s fluid volume and activity of enzymes that help control blood pressure.   Quinic acid is another phytochemical shown to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure by improving the lining of blood vessels, allowing them to better accommodate blood pressure rises.

Does coffee cause or worsen hypertension (high blood pressure)?

“In a review of 13 studies that included 315,000 people, researchers examined associations between coffee intake and the risk of hypertension.   During study follow-up periods, 64,650 people developed hypertension, with the researchers concluding coffee drinking was not associated with an increased risk of developing the condition.  Even when they examined data by gender, amount of coffee, decaffeinated versus caffeinated, smoking or years of follow-up, coffee was still not associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension.”

A small caveat. If you have very high blood pressure, coffee is not recommended. “A separate Japanese study followed more than 18,000 adults aged 40–79 years for 18.9 years. This included about 1,800 people who had very high blood pressure (grade 2-3 hypertension), with systolic blood pressure of 160 or above or diastolic blood pressure of 100 or above.  Here, risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, including heart attack or stroke, was double among those drinking two or more cups of coffee a day compared to non-drinkers.  However there were no associations with death from cardiovascular disease for those who had either normal blood pressure or mild (grade 1) hypertension (systolic blood pressure 140–159 or diastolic blood pressure 90–99).

Science Daily concludes: “The bottom line: There is no need to give up coffee.” Like all good things in life, use it in moderation—and enjoy.