“Everything in moderation, including moderation.” This is some timeless food for thought when it comes to claiming that anything in life can have massive positive effects when consumed or put into practice. And what could possibly be more ingrained in the daily lives of Americans than drinking coffee? We drink it to start our day and sometimes we drink it just to make it through the day, with the average American drinking 3.2 9-ounce cups per day. Studies have found that too much coffee can lead to raising blood pressure, an increased risk of heart attacks, and even causing breast cysts in women.
Of course, there is plenty of research to prove coffee can offer its benefits as well, like boosting metabolism and helping burn fat or lowering your risk of type-2 diabetes. But again, we must revert back to that “everything in moderation” motto, right? Where does coffee land in the carcinogenic properties spectrum, though? It was once a belief that coffee could contribute to cancer risks, and scientists have been researching the idea for a long time now. Here are the results of 10 studies that suggest a little bit of coffee on the regular can help you avoid cancer.
Prostate Cancer: Men who have as much as six cups of coffee in a day have a reduced risk of prostate cancer. How much, you might ask? A hefty 60%.
Brain Cancer: At least five cups of coffee a day have been found to offer a 40% lower risk of types of brain cancer.
Colon Cancer: In more than one study, two cups of coffee a day were found to cut the risks of colon cancer by 42%.
Breast Cancer: In 2008, it was found that two cups of coffee a day could delay the onset of certain types of breast cancer when taken with the breast cancer drug tamoxifen.
Liver Cancer: Coffee drinkers are found that have a 41% reduced risk of liver cancer.
Lung Cancer: In 2015, the Experimental Hematology & Oncology journal published a report that proteins found in lung cancer cells can be inhibited by caffeine, therefore preventing the cell’s growth and reproduction.
Endometrial Cancer: Endometrial cancer is very common amongst women, attacking the female reproductive organs. In 2015, it was found that women who consumed at least three cups of coffee a day decreased the chances of developing this type of cancer by around 19%.
Uterine Cancer: Women who drink more than two cups a day reduce their chances of developing uterine cancer.
Oral Cancer: Consuming more than four cups of coffee a day is found to decrease oral cancer risks by 39%.
Skin Cancer: The Journal of the National Cancer Institute published a study stating that coffee drinkers are at a lower risk of developing melanoma than people who don’t drink coffee.
While these 10 studies are all fairly recent, of course, it’s still important to remember that golden rule: everything in moderation, including moderation.