There’s good news brewing for coffee lovers—particularly if you enjoy your caffeine fix in the morning. A recent study examining over 40,000 Americans has uncovered compelling evidence that when may be just as important as how much you drink. The findings suggest that the health benefits of morning coffee are much higher than enjoying it at any other time of the day.
Previous research has highlighted the health perks of moderate coffee consumption, including reduced risks of Type 2 diabetes, heart attack, and stroke. However, a new study published in the European Heart Journal takes it further by exploring when you drink your daily cup of joe.
Researchers identified two distinct coffee-drinking patterns: morning drinkers (4 a.m. to noon) and all-day drinkers who sip coffee throughout the day and evening. Based on their findings, morning coffee drinkers reaped the most significant health benefits.
Over a follow-up period of nearly 10 years, morning coffee drinkers showed a 16 percent lower risk of death from all causes and a 31 percent reduced risk of death from heart disease compared to non-coffee drinkers.
They found that the sweet spot was two to three cups of coffee per morning, which corresponded to a 29 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality. Even light drinkers (one cup or less) and heavy coffee drinkers (more than three cups) experienced health benefits from coffee in the mornings, though to a lesser degree.
But why exactly does drinking coffee in the morning have such a profound impact? Researchers point to two potential mechanisms. First, consuming coffee later in the day can interfere with melatonin production, disrupting your circadian rhythms and potentially undermining cardiovascular health.
Second, coffee’s anti-inflammatory properties align well with the body’s higher levels of morning inflammation, maximizing its health benefits when enjoyed earlier in the day, like in the morning.
While this study observed correlations rather than direct causation, its implications are still significant. Coffee is already one of the world’s most popular beverages, and its health benefits are widely endorsed in dietary guidelines.
