coffee for your liver health

I talk A LOT about herbal tea. And rightly so, its health benefits are far and wide, it’s easy to prepare and accessible (low cost, easy to find materials, etc.) Preparing and drinking tea always feels like its own medicine, as the ritual of it, the heat warming my body and the comfort it brings are all little pieces that make the whole experience of consuming it magical. BUT, if you’re not a tea drinker or like me you like both tea and coffee. You’re in luck.

A new study conducted by Cedars-Sinai Health Sciences University in Los Angeles discovered that drinking coffee, anywhere from 2 to more than 5 cups a day, can be beneficial for your liver. I would suggest that 5 cups of caffeinated coffee per day might be a bit excessive for your nervous system, but that’s a different conversation. The study also said the benefits don’t change based on whether you drink caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee. The study watched 355,000 adults and discovered that drinking more of your favorite roast has been tied to a lower risk of liver cancer, cirrhosis and other liver-related causes of death. Coffee drinkers’ blood tests showed higher levels of proteins tied to healthy liver function and lower levels of those linked to scarring and inflammation. They also had lower levels of fat, liver and iron.

Among the herbal community ‘bitters’ or those foods or supplements with a ‘bitter’ flavor are well known for their benefits to the liver. Herbal bitters stimulate the liver to produce bile, a fluid that breaks down fats and removes body waste. This boosts the liver's natural detox process and helps prevent fatty liver disease by lowering fat buildup in the organ. Bitters also improve digestion and nutrient absorption. Bitters work by activating bitter receptors on your tongue and inside your gut. When these receptors sense a bitter taste, they trigger a chain reaction in your body.

Since coffee is considered a bitter beverage, this herbalist wonders if that is partly due to with these findings. Further research will need to be done. But for now, don’t feel guilty for that Cup of Joe in the morning.