Why Coffee Can Be Beneficial for Your Health

The case is getting stronger for why coffee can be beneficial.

According to Jonathan D. Rich, D.O., a primary care doctor with Mercy Personal Physicians Downtown in Baltimore, coffee is full of antioxidants and other substances that may reduce internal inflammation. He said coffee can help the body process glucose better, and both regular and decaf coffee seem to protect the liver.

So, how much is safe for women to drink each day? Dr. Rich noted that about three to five 8 ounce cups. Health experts recommend sticking to under 400 mg of caffeine a day.

"The classic symptoms people will see headaches, caffeine-withdrawal headaches, and they know they have their coffee in the morning and, 'Oh, that headache goes away.' That's probably the Number 1 thing, but you might have jitteriness, sleepiness, increased anxiety because it's a stimulant - that's the sensation they're going to get if they've had too much," Dr. Rich said.

Outside of black coffee, adding anything to a cup of coffee can offset the benefits with extra calories or even chemicals.

View Mercy primary care physician Dr. Jonathan Rich's interview regarding caffeine, coffee and their health benefits.