In the past decade, thousands of scientific studies have been published on the health effects of coffee. It seems that the verdict is in, and coffee drinkers have plenty of reason to celebrate.

Despite the fact that coffee enjoys such immense popularity, people often feel that they should “cut back” because they are drinking “too much” and worry about the potential negative health effects. While it’s certainly possible to partake in too much coffee, it turns out that consuming up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is not associated with any major health risks and, in fact, may have many potential health benefits. This equates to roughly three to four cups of coffee a day, depending on size and strength of the brew. Just what has all of the research on coffee discovered? Let’s take a look.

Coffee: The Benefits Abound

One of the most important and most oft-touted findings about coffee in recent years is that it has been associated with a significantly decreased chance of an early death. This is because drinking around 400 mg of coffee a day reduces the risk for numerous diseases and conditions which may lead to an early death, helping coffee drinkers lead longer lives. The conditions that coffee drinkers face a reduced risk for include:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Cerebrovascular disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Parkinson’s disease
• Cirrhosis
• Alzheimer’s disease
• Multiple sclerosis
• Many different types of cancer, including uterine cancer, liver cancer, and prostate cancer

Unfortunately, scientists don’t yet have a conclusive answer as to why coffee comes with all of these health benefits. The actual caffeine molecule, of course, likely has something to do with it. Researchers also speculate that it has something to do with all of the antioxidants found in coffee. In fact, most coffee drinkers get more antioxidants from their coffee than from any other single dietary source.

Are There Any Risks Associated with Drinking Coffee?

It would, of course, be too good to be true if coffee had no ill effects whatsoever on anyone who chose to drink it. Researchers do caution that pregnant women should keep their consumption below 300 mg of caffeine per day, as high caffeine consumption has been associated with pre-term births, low-weight births, and stillbirths. People who struggled with insomnia are also advised to keep their caffeine consumption to a minimum, or to at least abstain from drinking coffee later in the day. Coffee may also cause unwanted side effects in people who experience high levels of anxiety or panic attacks, as caffeine is a nervous system stimulant which can mimic the symptoms of anxiety.

The Best Way to Consume Coffee

While a black cup of coffee has an almost negligible calorie count, people tend to add copious amounts of milk, cream, or sugar to mask the bitter taste. This can balloon the calorie count and can, therefore, make your coffee slightly less healthy to consume. Try to avoid packing your daily coffee with too many whiteners and sweeteners, if you can. It is also important to note that most of the studies on coffee generally consider one “cup” of coffee to be around 8 ounces. Coffee shops tend to serve much larger sizes.

As with many questions of nutrition, it’s most important that you listen to your own body. If you don’t enjoy how coffee makes you feel, or if it exacerbates a certain health condition, then it’s best to steer clear. If, however, you enjoy the extra energy from your daily cup (or two, or three) of coffee, then you don’t need to feel guilty or worry about your health because of it. So pour yourself that cup, and enjoy!