Why You Should Drink Five Cups Of Coffee A Day

Good news, java lovers: you no longer have to feel guilty about reaching for that third (OK, fourth) cup of coffee. New federal dietary guidelines have just concluded that not only is drinking coffee good for you, but drinking lots of it — as in up to five cups a day — can be part of a "healthy lifestyle."

The debate over whether coffee is actually beneficial to you or not, and to what degree, is a longstanding one. But this is the first time that the federal advisory committee in charge of penning the Dietary Guidelines for Americans has ever weighed in on it — and what they have to say will be music to every coffee addict's ears.

According to The Washington Post, the group concluded that "strong and consistent evidence shows that consumption of coffee within the moderate range...is not associated with increased risk of major chronic diseases." If anything, consuming as many as five cups of coffee a day daily was found to help reduce the risk of certain conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

While that's great news to coffee enthusiasts like myself, there is also another factor to consider. Genetics can play a big part in how coffee affects your body, so guzzling five cups a day wouldn't be a good idea for everyone. Plus, there's another element to consider: depending on your personal preferences, coffees can often come loaded with cream and sugar.

Still, as someone who drinks coffee every morning, it's comforting to know that the habit can actually come with some benefits. Now, I won't feel so bad giving into temptation and pouring myself another every now and then.

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