Came across this article when reading 1440. Excellent news for my coffee habit. I may have to reduce to get down to the 5 cups a day, but, hey, what’s a little sacrifice? (I know, I know, I’m not kidding anyone. I’ll keep drinking coffee by the quart. If some is good, more is better, right?)
The below are quotes directly from the article. Some of the bold highlights are from me to ensure you understand the gravity of the situation.
Although the relationship between caffeine and cardiovascular health is complex, the latest research indicates consuming up to 5 cups of caffeinated coffee per day (up to 400 mg of caffeine/day) is safe for most adults and may be linked to cardiovascular health benefits in some individuals, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement
“Caffeine and Cardiovascular Disease,” published July 20, 2026 in the American Heart Association’s peer-reviewed scientific journal Circulation.
Up to five cups. Safe. Linked to cardiovascular health benefits. Ignore the weasel words like “indicates”, “most”, “may be”, and “some” The science is settled.
caffeine is the world’s most popular stimulant and psychoactive substance.
Wow. That link (added by me because I’m sure they left it out as an oversight) is a crazy read. Lots of words I’m not familiar with and can’t pronounce. The best line in the whole thing is “suggesting that the drive to alter one’s state of mind is universal”.
Here’s the kicker though. The best part in the whole coffee article (probably written while the authors…drank coffee):
Effects on cholesterol: Data from randomized clinical trials indicate cafestol, a component in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, was associated with higher levels of low-density lipoprotein (also known as “bad” cholesterol). Cafestol is present in unfiltered coffee (such as espresso, French press, Turkish coffee or boiled coffee) but not present in coffee brewed with paper filters or instant coffee. More research is needed to understand which products have higher levels of cafestol and their mechanisms.
Shorter version: Cafestol is bad. Crappy coffee made with cheap drip coffee makers with paper filters don’t contain the evil Cafestol. Neither does instant coffee. But all the fancy-pants French press, expresso, etc. that the coffee industry (and certain of my friends keep pushing…you know who you are) does contain the evil Cafestol.
I’ve been drinking cheap coffee in paper filters in cheap drip coffee pots for my entire life. I started drinking coffee in college because it seemed like an adult thing to learn to do. Lots of sugar and milk which I gradually phased out.
After having a heart attack three years ago, this is good news.