In recent years it has emerged that far from being a vice, coffee is packed with health-giving properties. It is, for example, the number-one source of antioxidants in the US diet. These compounds have been linked to fighting inflammation and helping to protect us against ailments including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Moderate caffeine consumption might even help to ward off Alzheimer’s and dementia (though the research on this is not yet conclusive).
Professor Tim Spector, epidemiologist, author and co-founder of science and nutrition company Zoe, recommends a decent cup of java as part of your dietary regimen. “For most people, coffee is beneficial” he says. “The primary reason for this is polyphenols, which nourish your gut microbes, promoting a thriving microbial community, which we know is linked to better metabolic health, lower inflammation and reduced disease risk. Coffee is also a surprisingly good source of fibre – 1.5g per cup. So, if you’re having three cups a day, you’re getting 4g or 5g of fibre.”
Good news for caffeine lovers – coffee is good for you. But to make the most of its benefits, there are some important things to remember…
1. Add a dash of milk
As long as you’re conservative about it, adding milk to coffee isn’t something to worry about. A study from Copenhagen University shows that milk proteins combined with the polyphenols in coffee can actually double their anti-inflammatory effects.
“The science on adding milk to your coffee has evolved,” says BANT-registered nutritionist Clarissa Lenherr. “Early studies suggested that milk proteins might bind to coffee’s polyphenols and reduce their antioxidant capacity. However, more recent research paints a mixed picture. There’s no clear evidence that a splash of milk ruins your coffee’s health benefits. So if you prefer a milky coffee, you’ll still be getting plenty of antioxidants, and you’re certainly not cancelling them out.”
However, Lenherr warns that some plant milks, including well-known brands of oat milk, contain additives that negate the benefits of your coffee. “If you’re having something like a latte,” she says, “remember that it’s majority milk. Having three or four of those a day is probably not going to be great for your health. Very few people would drink four large glasses of milk a day, but they might well have four lattes.”
2. Swap your French press for filter (or even instant)
As Prof Spector explains, “French press coffee contains cafestol and kahweol, oily compounds that remain in the brew. These compounds have been shown to raise LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. Filtered coffee, on the other hand, does not contain these compounds. As for instant, it’s still coffee, but it might contain fewer polyphenols. On the other hand, it’s often higher in fibre.”
For coffee aficionados, it may come as a surprise to learn that instant coffee is not the health disaster zone we assumed. Lenherr explains: “Certain well-known brands probably do use poor-quality coffee beans that are sprayed with pesticides, and don’t have a great taste. But research suggests that with instant coffee, the process of brewing and filtering removes the compounds that cause higher LDL cholesterol. It also has less caffeine than coffee made in a French press, so if people want to drink coffee later in the day, instant might be a slightly better option for them.”
3. Keep it simple
It hardly needs saying, but the less your coffee is adulterated, the better. “The worst way to drink it, in terms of health, is when it’s no longer coffee but a dessert,” says Prof Spector. “When you add syrups, sweetened milks and loads of sugar or even whipped cream, you’re transforming what should be a polyphenol boost into a significant blood sugar spike. Some commercial coffee drinks contain more additives and sugar than fizzy drinks. These can disrupt appetite regulation, spike blood sugar levels and counteract the benefits of the coffee.”
It’s also worth remembering that when it comes to forking out huge sums for a small-batch artisanal roast coffee, or paying £5 for an espresso “crafted” by an earnest barista, it may taste great, but it probably won’t be any better for you. “Higher price doesn’t necessarily mean it’s healthier,” says Prof Spector. “You’re mainly paying for origin, growing location, roasting process and flavour profile – as well as branding. A simple filtered black coffee – whether it’s from a cheap supermarket blend or a fancy single-origin bean – will deliver similar polyphenol benefits to the gut. Spend what you can afford, and don’t confuse high cost with health benefits.”
Lenherr adds: “Good-quality organic beans are going to contain less in the way of pesticide residues, and potentially less mould, because they’re often stored better.”
4. Choose a lighter roast
If you really want to maximise the health benefits of your coffee, avoid a very dark roast. As Prof Spector explains: “Lighter roasts generally retain more chlorogenic acids [CGAs] and other polyphenols that feed beneficial gut bacteria. Darker roasts lose some of these compounds during extended roasting. This isn’t to say dark roasts are bad; they still provide plenty of beneficial compounds.”
5. Add a sprinkle of cinnamon
For people who like a little bit of sweetness in their coffee but want to avoid adding sugar, a sprinkle of cinnamon or cocoa powder can be a great solution – and according to Prof Spector, they bring their own health benefits. “Both cinnamon and cocoa are exceptionally rich in their own unique polyphenols,” he says, “effectively doubling the gut-feeding potential of your coffee. In our [Zoe’s] food composition database, cinnamon ranks among the richest polyphenol sources, gram-for-gram. Cocoa contains flavanols, which have well-studied benefits for vascular health. Either makes a much healthier addition than highly processed sugar-rich syrups.”
Lenherr agrees: “Cinnamon is a wonderful thing to add to coffee. But be aware that a lot of the cinnamons in coffee shops are sweetened with a bit sugar.”
6. Drink it in the morning
Everyone responds differently to caffeine. But for most of us, it’s best to consume it only in the morning, to make sure we get good quality sleep that night. “Drinking coffee before noon prevents caffeine from disrupting sleep quality hours later,” says Prof Spector, “and sleep is a primary driver of good metabolic and overall health.”
A 2025 study found that people who drink coffee before noon are 16 per cent less likely to die in the following 10 years than those who don’t drink coffee at all. However, individuals who consume coffee throughout the day do not experience a reduction in mortality risk.
“Morning is the best time to drink coffee,” says Lenherr, “because it aligns with your circadian rhythm, where your cortisol is naturally elevated, and the caffeine in the coffee can increase that cortisol response. It’s very individual: some people can drink a double espresso before bed, and it doesn’t affect their sleep, but that’s rare.”
7. Don’t dismiss decaf
“Sticking to decaf in the latter part of the day is going to be better for you from that circadian perspective,” says Lenherr. “Decaf retains a lot of caffeinated coffee’s health benefits. You don’t get the focus, the clarity and the cognitive health aspects, but you do get the antioxidants.”
Prof Spector confirms: “Decaf provides most of the gut microbiome benefits of regular coffee, as it’s still rich in polyphenols.”
If you do make the switch, quality is key. As Lenherr says, with some decaf coffees, chemicals are used to strip the caffeine from the bean. “Look for one made with the Swiss Water process,” she advises. “It’s a natural, chemical-free way of removing the caffeine.”
8. Take your own cup to the café
For Spector, taking your own cup to the café is a case of better safe than sorry. As he explains, “Research suggests that microplastics from disposable cups can leach into hot drinks and potentially affect gut health. While we don’t yet have definitive evidence on the long-term impacts, reducing unnecessary plastic exposure is a sensible precaution. Using your own cup is a simple way potentially to reduce microplastic consumption while also being environmentally friendly.”
Lenherr, too, points out that the majority of takeaway cups are lined with plastic. “If you do get a takeaway cup, be aware that the lid is often where a lot of the plastic comes from. Drinking your coffee through the lid with the heat directly into your mouth is best avoided. If you’re having a healthy drink, why ruin it?”