liver benefits,” Dr. Wakim-Fleming says. “There’s something inherent about caffeine that is helpful to the liver.”
Coffee also has other benefits on the liver, according to Dr. Wakim-Fleming. “Coffee contains antioxidants and other compounds that all play a big role in decreasing liver inflammation,” she adds.
How much coffee should you consume?
So how much coffee should you be consuming to reap its benefits?
“We recommend at least three cups every day to help prevent liver problems,” Dr. Wakim-Fleming shares. If you have hepatitis or fatty liver disease, as many as four, five or even six cups a day can be helpful.
However, before you go making your morning cup o’ joe, talk to your doctor to ensure it is safe.
Coffee can trigger headaches, difficulty initiating sleep, anxiety and jitters in some people.
You should also be cautious of coffee if you have heart problems. If you have an irregular heart rate or other heart problems, excessive coffee might be dangerous. Coffee can also cause problems in lung cancer patients, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Additionally, black coffee is best because people with fatty liver disease often have problems like diabetes and obesity; so it is wise to avoid adding extra fat and sugar to your coffee. If you don’t like the taste of black coffee, you can swap sugar for artificial sweeteners and add skim milk or plant-based milk instead of cream.
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How to protect your liver
While drinking coffee may provide benefits to your liver, there are also other key things you can do to protect your liver:
- Get vaccinated against hepatitis A and hepatitis B viruses, which both damage the liver.
- Avoid eating a lot of high-sugar, high-saturated-fat foods, which can lead to fatty liver disease.
- Limit heavy alcohol drinking, which can permanently damage the liver and lead to cirrhosis.