“Coffee is the only thing in your life that is 100% on your side every day, with every cup…”
Jerry Seinfeld
Serious coffee drinkers probably do not need another excuse to enjoy their favorite beverage every morning, but if they need one, this is big. Recent research has found an eye-popping link between coffee consumption and serious gut health. And we humans need healthy guts.
Due to recent and ground-breaking research, coffee is now being credited for its many health benefits. I am convinced that coffee is almost a supernatural liquid. Packed with polyphenols (fiercely powerful antioxidants), coffee can protect your body against oxidative stress and its associated pathologies. Moderate coffee consumption has been linked to improved mood, lower risk of depression, reduced risk of stroke, heart disease, Parkinson’s disease, and some cancers. Drinking coffee has even been linked to the reduction in risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease. Multiple recent studies have shown a consistent and significant correlation between moderate coffee consumption (2-4 cups a day) and a reduced risk of all-cause mortality. Statistically, coffee drinkers tend to be healthier and live longer.
One recent study published in Nature Microbiology (a monthly peer reviewed scientific journal) revealed another amazing benefit found in our favorite breakfast beverage. Coffee supports the growth of beneficial gut bacteria. This is whopping good news! (read it here:nature.com/articles/s41564-024-01858-9). Why do we need beneficial gut bacteria? Beneficial bacteria and a diverse microbiome in our gut is necessary for good health. Our gut is home to the majority of our immune cells. A happy and strong immune system is vital to protect our bodies from disease and maintain our strength. A healthy gut reduces inflammation and supports our digestion, allowing us to get the most benefit from the foods we eat. Our gut and our brains are also closely linked. Have you noticed that when you are anxious and nervous your stomach sometimes becomes upset? That is your brain and gut talking to each other.
So, how does coffee boost our gut health? The polyphenols in coffee, specifically chlorogenic acid and quinic acid, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in our gut. These polyphenols work like prebiotics, feeding and encouraging the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.
In this study, researchers wearing rubber gloves (hopefully), examined and analyzed smelly stool samples from 22,867 participants. They classed these humans into three groups: the never group (non-coffee drinkers and those drinking less than three cups a month), the moderate group (those drinking three cups a month to three cups a day), and the heavy group (those drinking more than three cups a day). The study found that the coffee drinkers had high levels of one specific beneficial bacteria strain in their gut–L. asaccharolyticus. For you science nerds out there, L. asaccharolyticus is a butyrate-producing bacterium. Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid that promotes gut health and has been linked to overall mental and physical well-being (i.e., happy, healthy people). So, how can we apply this new knowledge of coffee and gut health? What can we do? Drink coffee. Drink coffee every day. Encourage your family and friends to drink coffee. Maybe consider taking your coffee experience to the next level by upping your coffee game. Discard your stale grocery store and gas station coffee. Throw away your plastic K-Cups and crummy coffee pods and embrace the world of better coffee. Find a source for freshly roasted specialty coffee (you can find good coffee online from reputable roasters). Buy single origin and organic beans. Work on your coffee skills. Learn how to manually brew delicious coffee at home (master the French press and you’ll never go back to your percolator). Try different coffees from around the world. Become a coffee student and share your knowledge with your slew-foot friends. Make your coffee experience part of your life’s adventure and path to good health. Drink coffee, live long and prosper!
© 2025 Jody Dyer
typewriterweekly.com