- Coffee is fine in moderation with cancer - it has antioxidants and may reduce inflammation.
- Roasting forms acrylamide (a DNA-damaging compound), but the amount in coffee is small; the bigger issue is pesticides in non-organic coffee.
- Choose organic, lightly roasted, no sugar or milk; stay well hydrated since coffee is a diuretic.
- Beyond coffee: diet, exercise, stress reduction and immune support with concentrated mushroom-polysaccharide formulas.
What do we actually know about coffee and cancer?
When coffee is roasted, a substance called acrylamide forms in the beans — a by-product of the roasting process. In the body, acrylamide converts to glycidamide, which damages DNA and causes mutations.3 Besides coffee, acrylamide is found in french fries, crisps and similar foods. In general, heating oil produces toxic substances that arguably should be restricted, as they are in Denmark.4
Coffee is also one of the most chemically treated food crops. It is heavily sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides and synthetic fertilisers.5 Add to this that most coffee is grown in developing countries, where oversight of chemical use is questionable.6 So what should you do?
Can you drink coffee with cancer?
In short: YES, but it is recommended to take care of the following:
- Buy organic coffee — the last thing you need right now is chemicals, pesticides or heavy metals.
- Choose lightly roasted coffee, minimising the amount of cancer-causing substances formed.
- Make sure you drink enough quality water. Dehydration can worsen the side effects of chemotherapy, and coffee is a diuretic.
- Regrettably, you may have to give up coffee if insomnia troubles you after chemotherapy — try green tea instead.
What else will help me with cancer?
It is great that you are taking care of your health. But beyond choosing quality coffee, a few essentials are worth attention. Diet — quality animal fats (eggs, butter, wild fish), vegetables, fermented foods; avoid sugar, refined carbohydrates and seed oils. This eases the immune system's work and makes treatment more effective. Physical activity — the gym, swimming pool or long walks (as able) are essential; research shows regular activity reduces the risk of recurrence and improves quality of life. Breathing exercises — look into the Wim Hof method; controlled breathing strengthens the immune system and reduces stress. Immune support — concentrated mushroom-polysaccharide extracts are studied for their role in activating NK cells and macrophages.
Beyond coffee, immune support matters. Concentrated mushroom polysaccharides are studied for their role in activating NK cells and macrophages.
Lentinan AXT by Zenius Labs™ →Yes, in moderation. Coffee contains antioxidants and may reduce inflammation. But choose organic, lightly roasted coffee, drink it without sugar and milk, and make sure you get enough water.
No direct causal link between coffee and cancer has been established. Roasting produces acrylamide, which can damage DNA in large doses, but the amount in coffee is small. The bigger problem is pesticides in non-organic coffee.
Usually yes, but it is important to monitor how you feel. Coffee is a diuretic, so it can increase dehydration, which is already a chemotherapy side effect. If insomnia troubles you after chemotherapy, green tea is a better choice.
The most important additional factors are a proper diet, physical activity, stress reduction, and immune-system support with concentrated mushroom-polysaccharide formulas such as Lentinan AXT by Zenius Labs™.
Organic, lightly roasted coffee, without sugar and milk. Such coffee has the least acrylamide and pesticides, and the most beneficial antioxidants.
- Trans fat ban in Denmark — WHO guidelines. WHO
- Pesticides in coffee — organic vs conventional. Purity Coffee
- Coffee production and chemicals in developing countries. DanWatch
- Balbo S et al. Implications of acetaldehyde-derived DNA adducts for understanding alcohol-related carcinogenesis. Advances in experimental medicine and biology. 2015. PubMed
- Wang H et al. Efficacy of biological response modifier lentinan with chemotherapy for advanced cancer: a meta-analysis. Cancer medicine. 2017. PubMed
- Oba K et al. Efficacy of adjuvant immunochemotherapy with polysaccharide K for patients with curative resections of gastric cancer. Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII. 2007. PubMed
- Cheng SC et al. mTOR- and HIF-1α-mediated aerobic glycolysis as metabolic basis for trained immunity. Science (New York, N.Y.). 2014. PubMed