is coffee good or bad?

I've asked this question before and never gotten a real answer. I have coffee every morning, though, and like that it's almost no calories (just the 20 calories worth of creamer that I use).

Black coffee is wonderful! It is the nectar of the gods!! If my spoon does not stand up in it (sans sugar) it is not strong enough!!! It is one of the food groups. My day is not complete without my coffee.

I drink like 4 cups every day with creme (in moderation). I'm creeping up on 40lbs lost so I wouldn't say it's bad for weight loss Just keep track of how much you're drinking.

I love coffee very much, but I have had some problems with it. Basically, a doctor told me that I have to watch out for the acid in it and try to only have it with food, and reduce my consumption overall. I have some digestive issues.

If you don't have any weird effects from it though, go ahead and enjoy! I know I would.

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Try Stevia or Agava

Yea... As far as black coffee, not for me lol. Would splenda be a better alternative? I'm just wondering if caffeine content is dehydrating or if there is anything really horrible about it? I drink like 5 cups a day and it helps me to stay full at work. It keeps me from snacking at my desk.

Coffee technically isn't "bad" in moderation. Caffeine isn't "bad" in moderation, but Caffeine is a drug, your body does become chemically dependent on it and constant excessive intake of it over an extended period of time can cause damage to your body, like pretty much any other drug. I would say if you're going to drink 5 cups a day switch to decaf for majority of them. Essentially by drinking more and more caffeine you are building up a tolerance to it, which means you will start to require more and more to get the same effect. I've found at the times where I give up Caffeine or limit my intake to stopping drinking it after say 2pm, I'm much more rested the next morning and my sleep is much better.

So essentially, a non-straight answer (because thats really the only one)

Is coffee bad for you? not really in moderation
Is caffeine bad for you? Depends on which school of thought among professionals you go with, but generally the consensus is not bad for you in moderation
Is water better for you to drink? Absolutely.

With all that being said I still drink 2-3 caffeinated drinks a day depending on how tired I am

I think it's neither bad or good. I think the danger with coffee ( diet wise) is what you put in the coffee. I have stopped adding sugar and got down to 20 calories of fat free half/half. Sometimes when I'm wanting to eat snacks I have a cup of coffee instead.

I think it's neither bad or good. I think the danger with coffee ( diet wise) is what you put in the coffee. I have stopped adding sugar and got down to 20 calories of fat free half/half. Sometimes when I'm wanting to eat snacks I have a cup of coffee instead.

This is exactly what I do when I want something sweet. I can't give up my coffee never never never lol.

Good coffee is good. espresso. Espresso with steamed milk with or without froth. The ocassional espresso with steamed milk and some good quality chocolate syrup or maybe a small amount of another quality syrup. French press. Personal drip brewed coffee from recently ground beans. Brewed or French press with high quality fresh cream or half and half. All good. And because they are yummy and real, you can expect that they will be fine and no big whoop in moderation.

Bad Coffee is bad. "Cappucinno" from a frothy machine at the local Qwickie Mart. "Coffee" with more sweeteners than coffee--artificial or not. Instant coffee. Coffee in a can that has been on a shelf for 6 months before you bought it. Coffee with coffeemate. Coffee from poor quality beans that were roasted and ground ages ago, brewed too hot and then sat on a hot plate for hours making it unbearably bitter and aweful requiring enough fake-cream and fake-sugar or corn syrup to "lighten" and sweeten it enough to no longer be considered coffee. Non-dairy creamer is full of weird stuff. So's the flavoring syrups. Meh.

Can you have artificial sweeteners? sure. Probably won't kill you before next Tuesday. I've never put any kind of artificial sweetener in coffee without making the whole thing taste like an oil slick or something non-coffee-ish. It seems worthwhile, if one is to drink coffee, to actually drink coffee in a manner that show some respect for its cultural heritage, its complex flavors, and its versatility. Coffee, like most foods that our grandmothers or great-grandmothers would recognize really is sort of amazing in some of its more pure and traditional forms. And I just think a food as ancient and wide-spread as coffee has got to have health benefits whether modern science is aware of it or not.

I love my coffee. Sometimes I will put a bit of coconut oil in it. Yum! Anyone heard of bulletproof coffee? It's coffee but you add butter and coconut oil to it? Sounds weird but I want to try it!

Some things I have heard recently that caused me some concern. Feel free to correct me if they are unfounded, I am always open to learning more:


- Artifical sweeteners may raise cortisol levels, a stress hormone which can cause your body to pack on belly fat
- Drinking your coffee at the same time you take your multivitamins may interfere with proper vitamin absorption

Stevia is a good somewhat-natural sweetener, I do not know if this would have the first issue I mention.

It really depends on the person! I can't drink coffee because it gives me the jitters and really messes with my sleeping schedule, admittedly messed up to begin with. Tea, on the other hand, is fine. Weird. But some people swear by their morning coffee and are perfectly fine for it. Find out which works for you

I can haz all the coffee plz.

Just as long as you are getting your water in, it's good. Caffine can dehydrate you -- so only drinking coffee wouldn't be great for you - but one or two cups is fine. Though, I do real sugar -- I don't like substitutes in warm drinks.