The first cup of coffee in the morning is the only thing that keeps most of us workers alive when we have to get up at the crack of dawn. Freshly awake in the morning, a cup of coffee is often our only comfort. Perhaps that’s why we cling like a lifeline to any news about the benefits of drinking coffee.
However, there are times when it seems that coffee can contribute something to our health… Apart from giving us insomnia from drinking it four times a day. According to British epidemiologist and expert communicator Tim Spector (who, incidentally, has the perfect name to be a villain in Spider-Man), there seems to be a microbial difference between people who drink coffee daily and those who do not.
Apart from saving hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars a year, non-coffee drinkers seem to have less diversity in their gut microbiota.
Coffee and its role in gut health
Before we begin, we must explain what the microbiome is: billions of bacteria that live in the gut. These bacteria are beneficial because they help digest food, produce vitamins, and defend us from disease. Apparently, coffee drinkers have a more diverse micro-biota… which is associated with better overall metabolic health. However, it doesn’t matter how many cups of coffee you drink, if you eat nothing but ultra-proccessed foods for the rest of the day.
According to a 2024 study, Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus, a specific microbe, appears in greater quantities in coffee drinkers (compared to non-coffee drinkers, obviously).
Soluble fiber in every cup
A normal cup of coffee provides us with up to 1.8 g of soluble fiber. This is not much compared to the 30 g of fiber we need daily to be healthy, but it can give us a little boost to reach that recommended amount. This soluble fiber reaches the colon intact, where intestinal bacteria ferment it to produce short-chain fatty acids. In general, consuming soluble fiber is good, as it produces compounds that are beneficial to our body.
Coffee, food for bacteria
Coffee, apart from being delicious, acts as a fertilizer for good bacteria. This is because it is rich in polyphenols such as chlorogenic acids. These polyphenols are also present in red fruits, olive oil, and green tea. Microbes in our intestines transform them into molecules that help reduce inflammation and protect our heart. In general, consuming polyphenols is beneficial to our health.
Coffee: regular or decaffeinated?
One interesting thing about these scientific studies is that they show that the benefits to our intestinal health appear in both regular and decaffeinated coffee. However, some research suggests that adding milk to coffee may reduce the absorption of polyphenols… Although other studies find no difference.
In general, there does not seem to be much difference between drinking regular or decaffeinated coffee. If you want to make sure you get all the benefits (i.e., if you want to increase your polyphenol intake), you may prefer to start drinking coffee black or with plant-based beverages.
However, we don’t want you to go overboard and start drinking five or six cups a day. It’s not a healthy way to get all the fiber you need each day. Experts recommend drinking a maximum of two or three cups a day… if your body can handle that much caffeine. People with reflux, anxiety, insomnia, or arrhythmias should adjust the amount or switch to decaffeinated coffee altogether.
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should bear in mind that coffee is a stimulant and can seriously disrupt your circadian cycles. As much as you may enjoy a good cup of coffee, a hyperactive baby is too high a price to pay.
Yes, according to epidemiologist Tim Spector, coffee appears to be beneficial for our internal ecosystem. It is a good addition to our diet, but the variety of plants in our meals will continue to play a key role in our healthy lifestyle.