After my alarm goes off each morning, one of the first thoughts that crosses my mind is “coffee.” So, it was with more than a little interest that I read recent reports of research showing that coffee contains a cancer-causing agent called acrylamide. Do I — and all my coffee-loving brethren — need to ditch this cherished morning ritual for the sake of our lives?
[See: 8 Morning and Nighttime Rituals Health Pros Swear By.]
In a word, no. Once we consider this reporting in the context of decades of research that came before it, it’s clear (to me at least) that my java consumption isn’t sending me straight to the grave. The Mayo Clinic, for example, suggests that drinking coffee may be conducive to health, especially cardiovascular health. In fact, drinking three to five cups of coffee per day has been shown to reduce the mortality risk associated with cardiovascular disease in some populations. Further, coffee consumption has been linked with a reduced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Drinking four to five cups of coffee per day has even been linked with a reduced risk of some cancers, including breast cancer and prostate cancer. So, in addition to feeling more awake, able to focus and experiencing elevations in mood, coffee consumption may have significant benefits that impact both health and longevity.
So, why did a California judge rule last month that coffee sellers are required to provide warning labels indicating that coffee contained a carcinogenic agent?
Here’s why: Acrylamide is produced in the process of roasting coffee. Laboratory studies on rats examining the potentially detrimental effects of acrylamide suggest that the compound may increase cancer risk. However, these studies expose rats to much higher doses of acrylamide than most people would possibly be able to ingest. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, studies examining acrylamide levels in human’s blood (even those who consume a lot of coffee) reveal no increased risk of cancer.
[See: 15 Foods That Cut Your Cancer Risk.]
So, what do you do when new reports seem to contradict old findings? There are three possibilities: Either the new research is correct and the old is not, the old research is correct and the new is not or neither set of findings is completely correct or completely incorrect.
When it comes to coffee, the correct answer is the third option. Yes, roasting coffee beans produces acrylamide. And yes, coffee consumption has many well-proven health benefits. In fact, it’s extremely likely that the benefits of coffee outweigh any costs — unless you’re a rodent. In other words, it’s really a stretch to say that coffee causes cancer, and labeling it as such does not reflect the current state of our scientific understanding.
[See: 12 ‘Unhealthy’ Foods With Health Benefits.]
Of course, this isn’t to say that people shouldn’t be warned when any sort of consumable product presents health risks. But if everything comes with a warning label, then nothing will actually feel like a warning and it will be all too easy to ignore the serious warnings (like those on prescription medications). Maybe the folks in California who want to slap a warning on coffee for the sake of people’s health should consider this bigger picture. Meantime, when my alarm goes off tomorrow, I’ll still immediately think about — and happily devour — coffee.
Editor’s note: Lauren Diessler, a graduate of Rutgers University’s undergraduate psychology program (and an avid coffee drinker) co-authored this post.
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Does Coffee Cause Cancer? originally appeared on usnews.com
