What you need to know about your morning brew

The folks who write America’s dietary guidelines must have finally installed a Keurig in their break room.

After a groggy 35 years of neglecting to give guidance on the world’s second oldest caffeinated beverage, they have finally come to the conclusion that for healthy adults, consuming up to five cups of coffee a day is considered safe and healthy and even beneficial by reducing the risk of heart disease and type II diabetes.

Still, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans stopped short of officially recommending coffee, stating only that drinking a lot of it is not bad for our health. But several studies have shown the antioxidant-rich drink, when consumed in normal amounts, is actually good for our health, keeping us alert and likely protecting us from many diseases.

Tea, green and black, has long received kudos for its health benefits. It has been credited with staving off some types of cancers, improving cardiovascular health and even strengthening our immune systems.

Coffee, long viewed as a vice by many health advocates, can be just as good for us. The beverage has been shown to reduce the risks of neurological diseases, cardiovascular disease and even suicide. It has also been associated with preventing diabetes and some types of cancers.

Keep in mind, there are many health caveats when it comes to caffeine’s perks.

First, coffee and tea are no substitute for water or sleep. Too many java beverages can cause short-term woes and most drinkers know the effects of that one cup too many. Caffeine can make us feel jittery, interrupt our ability to fall asleep and cause temporary spikes in blood pressure. Those already under stress may find themselves more so after indulging in too many cups of coffee.

Second, the amount of caffeine in your mug can vary wildly depending on the brew. When the U.S. dietary guidelines say up to five cups of coffee a day, what that really means is up to about 400 milligrams of caffeine, or approximately the amount found in five 8-ounce cups.

Another catch to coffee and tea is what you put in the drinks. A wedge of lemon in tea won’t hurt anyone, but pouring in heavy creams and heaps of sugar will do more harm than good. Also, we recommend choosing organic coffees and teas, which are free of chemicals added to many commercial coffee blends.

People with certain health conditions, such as acid reflux or high cholesterol, may want to skip the drinks. For any parents out there, please keep your kids away from caffeine, however, a small amount of caffeine is okay for older teens.

Does this new take on coffee mean that non-coffee drinkers should start guzzling java several times a day? Not at all. It just means that coffee has become a beverage that, to borrow from a milky ad slogan, “does a body good.”

Steve Bernardi is a registered compounding pharmacist at Johnson Compounding & Wellness in Waltham (www.naturalcompounder.com). Readers with questions about natural or homeopathic medicine, compounded medications, or health in general can email steve@naturalcompounder.com or call 781-893-3870.