Coffee is actually a health food. Drinking it regularly can help to keep your brain well as you age. A large body of research has shown again and again that the more coffee a person drinks, the lower their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. Caffeine is the most heavily consumed behaviourally active substance in western nations. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia worldwide. It usually affects people over 65 years of age, but has been occurring in younger individuals. There is no known cure for advanced Alzheimer’s disease. In best case scenarios it can be halted, or progress can be delayed. The best thing to do is try to prevent developing dementia in the first place. This involves eating healthy food, exercising regularly and keeping your brain active. Drinking coffee regularly may offer significant protection as well. Several studies have shown that coffee drinkers have up to a 65 percent lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. Most studies showing a beneficial effect of caffeine involved between 150 and 200 milligrams of caffeine daily. Coffee is the biggest dietary source of caffeine and one of the healthiest. The amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee depends on the type of beans used and the method of preparation. One cup of brewed coffee (produced by pouring hot water over ground beans) contains approximately 95 milligrams of caffeine. Instant coffee contains only around 50 mg of caffeine. If you are a coffee drinker, the healthiest way to have it is just in water. Sugar, coffee whitener and syrups can negate the positive health effects and significantly raise your carbohydrate intake. Coffee also has a lot of benefits for the liver which I’ve written about before. If you want to learn more about my recommendations for protecting your brain against Alzheimer’s disease, see my book Alzheimer’s: What you must know to protect your brain. References: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20182026 http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1468-1331.2002.00421.x/full