Coffee, blood sugar, hormones, and our health
Hi after an unplanned newsletter hiatus! We’re back with a topic that keeps coming up in our practice and can’t wait to spill the beans (sorry, we had to) - let’s get right into it.
We’re both the type of people who go to bed dreaming about our morning cup of coffee, and so do 99.9% of our clients. The health benefits are debated a lot in the media, and lately, we’re seeing more and more people play around with eliminating coffee, switching up how and when they’re consuming coffee, and sharing their results. Like most nutrition topics, it's getting confusing, and for some of you, perhaps taking the joy out of your favorite morning ritual?
Today we’re breaking down all of the questions that we get about coffee, hopefully empowering you to understand how coffee fits (or doesn’t) in your life.
Is coffee healthy?
Like most things nutrition, the answer isn’t black and white.
There have been many reported health benefits of coffee (when consumed below certain levels), including:
High antioxidant content and potential to reduce the risk for several chronic diseases;
Its combination of phytochemicals, magnesium, potassium and Vitamin B - each of which have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and improve metabolism;
Anecdotally, we also know that coffee can help some with digestion and regularity.
Potential downsides (at or above certain levels): may negatively impact energy, sleep, anxiety and chronic stress and may interfere with hormonal health.
Whether or not coffee is serving your personal health boils down to: your genetics (which dictate how quickly or slowly you metabolize coffee), health history and goals; how much you’re drinking and when; the extent to which it’s impacting your sleep, anxiety and chronic stress; and the quality of your coffee.
Coffee, cortisol, stress and “best time” to drink coffee
There is no “best time” to drink coffee - this is highly individual and requires tuning in to how it affects you (in terms of energy, anxiety and sleep). But a few things to keep in mind:
Cortisol = stress hormone (regulates our stress response, but also our circadian rhythm i.e. helps our body know when to sleep and wake up). Balanced cortisol throughout the day = key for getting quality sleep, and overall hormonal balance.
Cortisol naturally spikes early in the morning, so drinking your coffee first thing, especially on an empty stomach, could contribute to an even higher cortisol spike (which is why you might feel jittery, more wired, or anxious). It could also be contributing to energy crashes later in the day and possibly, hormonal imbalances. Some experts suggest delaying coffee for ~1.5 hours after waking for these reasons.
On the flip side, waiting too long to drink coffee could also interrupt sleep patterns, depending on how quickly you metabolize caffeine.
So…when should I drink coffee?
For sure, we recommend cutting off by 2pm, earlier if you suspect it’s interfering with your sleep (some individuals need a cut off as early as 10 am because they are very slow metabolizers - play around with this).
If you love drinking your coffee first thing and don’t experience jitters, feel free to stick with that time. If it’s making you anxious or contributing to energy crashes, or if you are concerned about hormone imbalances, play around with timing.
Pro tip: coffee journal to pay attention to time and any jittery reactions.
How much should I drink?
Again, this is highly individual - research shows up to 400mg of caffeine (~4 cups) per day is safe and may be associated with previously mentioned benefits, but many find this amount to be too high and can interfere with sleep and anxiety (remember, we all metabolize coffee differently).
Pregnancy - safe to consume up to 200mg (~2 cups; more on coffee and pregnancy/fertility in below).
Anecdotally, we find the most people do well when limiting coffee to 1-3 cups per day.
Can I drink coffee on an empty stomach or should I always consume it with food?
This, again, depends on the individual.
Coffee on empty can raise blood sugar for some, while for others it has little to no effect.
In general we recommend having coffee with food rather than on empty (one of our favorite ways to do this - our coffee buzz smoothie!), but if you love doing coffee first thing before food and don’t experience adverse effects, do what feels good and works for you.
Also of note if you drink your coffee in the morning: coffee can be dehydrating, and we already wake up dehydrated, so we recommend drinking at least 8-16 oz. of water in the morning before coffee and of course continuing to stay hydrated throughout the day.
Should I give up coffee while TTC, undergoing IVF, pregnant?
This is a hard question to answer.
Research suggests that up to 1 cup per day likely doesn't affect fertility, including IVF, and that up to 200mg (2 cups) is safe during pregnancy.
We do know that caffeine can increase our stress hormones, can impact blood sugar for some and potentially contribute to insulin resistance (all of these things are not ideal for fertility, especially if you have PCOS, or are experiencing hormonal issues like heavy or painful periods).
Our recommendation: if your morning coffee brings you joy and you are in the early stages of TTC, keep it. If you’re deep into IVF, and suspect your morning coffee is affecting your cortisol (i.e. making you anxious), and you want to err on the side of absolute caution, skip it. In other words, it’s a personal choice for what’s going to help you sleep at night - there is no definitive answer here.
Do I need to buy organic? What about decaf coffee?
Conventional coffee is a highly sprayed crop so we recommend opting for certified organic (or transparency about how the coffee is grown, since organic certification can be expensive) when possible.
Decaf coffee is a great option for those particularly sensitive to caffeine. That said, there are varying decaffeination processes (for example, some use chemical solvents, whereas others simply use water). To avoid chemically processed decaf, we recommend looking for the organic seal, which prohibits not only pesticides, but chemical solvents during processing, too.
What about matcha? Is it that much better for me than coffee?
Matcha has gotten a virtuous rep, and for good reasons:
Like coffee, it also has high levels of antioxidants, and subsequently may prevent oxidative damage and reduce the risk of several chronic diseases.
It’s slightly lower in caffeine (~70mg per cup to coffee’s 95) so may be a better option for slow metabolizers or those particularly sensitive to caffeine.
Good source of L-theanine, an amino acid that has been shown to support sleep quality, reduce stress and anxiety, and boost mental clarity.
Takeaway - if you’re sensitive to caffeine and anxiety prone, you might tolerate matcha better for its slightly lower caffeine content and the potential calming effects of L-theanine. But if you love your coffee, matcha isn’t necessarily the healthier choice!
Takeaways and the bottom line
We <3 Coffee.
You do not need to cut out coffee for optimal health and wellbeing, and there are even some health benefits to consuming coffee at or below certain levels, such as its antioxidant content and potential role in reducing our risk for chronic diseases.
Research shows that most can benefit from/tolerate up to 400mg (~4 cups) per day. Anecdotally, we’ve seen most people find 4 cups a bit too much, and it seems like 1-3 may be a more optimal range.
Everyone is different in terms of how coffee affects them and their health - if you suspect it's interfering with your sleep, anxiety, and mood, it's worth playing around with the amount of coffee you’re consuming, timing and whether you’re pairing it with food, or considering removing it.
Fertility / TTC / Pregnancy - research suggests that up to 1 cup per day likely doesn't affect fertility, including IVF, and up to 200mg (~2 cups per day) is safe during pregnancy. If you are struggling to conceive or want to optimize your chances, pay attention to how coffee affects you and consider removing it, delaying it and/or pairing it with food to minimize cortisol and blood sugar spikes.
Opt for organic coffee when possible / coffee that is transparent about how it's sourced if not certified organic.
A few more things
Where we share all the things we’re loving, reading, listening to, cooking, discussing and purchasing as of late.
We couldn't do a coffee post without a shout out to our favorite coffee roaster retailer, Roseline Coffee (full disclosure: this business is co-owned by Lauren’s husband Matt). It also happens to pass all our requisite tests (delicious, organically farmed and responsibly sourced). Our favorite varieties are the Ethiopia Reko and Catapult Blend. Use discount code FRIENDSOFMATT for 10% off!
[Lauren]: The Technivorm Moccamaster is one of my desert island appliances (rivaled only by my vitamix because I live for my daily mela smoothie). It’s pricey but it really is so good - it has a cult following amongst coffee enthusiasts. The machine mimics the pour over method to make the most delicious, smooth coffee ever, and it couldn't be easier to use (we load the grinds and water the night before, and then just push the button in the morning for a full pot ready in 3 minutes).
[Merrill]: I love Roseline when I’m craving a hot cup, but most days I’m reaching for my La Colombe cold brew to put in my coffee buzz smoothie. I feel best pairing my coffee with food and dream of my coffee smoothie in the mornings!
LMNT chocolate. And since we are on the topic of warm beverages, we’re really into LMNT’s electrolyte hot chocolate flavors. We add them to hot water and they make the perfect salty-sweet (but sugar free) hot chocolate. Our personal favorites = plain chocolate and chocolate mint varieties!
Loved this conversation between Kelly Leveque, Lily Nichols and Lisa Hendrickson-Jack about all things fertility nutrition. Lily is the leading expert on evidence-based prenatal nutrition and her latest book expands to cover various aspects of fertility nutrition from the same hardcore evidence based lense.
Our two latest reads if you’re in the market for a new book: [Lauren]: Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrel - I loved this so much….it was slow, captivating, heartbreaking, beautiful all at once. A fictional portrayal of Shakespeare’s family, primarily focused on his wife and the loss of their son, that’s really about motherhood and grief. [Merrill] Fourth Wing - I wasn’t into the fantasy genre before this book, but I couldn’t put this down! I also read the sequel (Iron Flame) and can’t wait for her next one to come out!
Cooking our way through Alex Snodgrass’ (the Defined Dish) latest cookbook, Dinner Tonight. Her recipes are always 10/10 in flavor, while being well-balanced, featuring high quality ingredients that leave us feeling good. Some of our favorites that we’ve made and loved: creamy cajun fish, baked salmon sushi bowls with spicy mayo, thai inspired steak salad, curried chicken and kale salad with creamy harissa dressing. YUM.