November 22, 2013

Exactly how many cups of coffee to drink, taking all the pro-coffee and anti-coffee study results into account.

The answer is: 3.

26 comments:

Curious George said...

One press pot of Collectivo. Working on some Velo now. But that would be 8, but I often leave one mug behind...so then 6.

traditionalguy said...

Sounds like wine. Three glasses is good, but four or more is bad.

Was that per day or per hour?

Sorun said...

“Acute ingestion of caffeine … equivalent to the amount found in 2-3 cups of coffee … results in a short-term stimulation of urine output…”

I've found the same thing with ingesting water -- it stimulates urine output. But that's just me.

Henry said...

The 56% increase in death (love the specifics) is for the population that has a very low death rate. Not all percentages are created equal.

But as the blurb says, don’t think too hard: Thinking could turn into ruminating—and ruminating quadruples your risk of depression.

George M. Spencer said...

Is a cup a "cup"?

Sorun said...

I assume 3 cups is for an average weight person. What's that? I'm 190 lbs, so I always bump these things up: 4 cups instead of 3, or 3 beers instead of 2.

Ann Althouse said...

I'm sure what we look at as a cup today is at least 2 cups, possibly even 4 cups.

And what about the strength of the coffee?

And shouldn't one's body size matter. Should a 120-pound person drink the same amount as a 240-pound person?

And I would like to know the best amount of wine. We know it's at least one glass a day. But there too, I'll bet a lot of people who are pouring their "one" glass are pouring 10 or 12 ounces, which is 2 glasses. It's hard to be honest about that, and the glasses they make these days (like the coffee mugs) encourage fantasy.

MadisonMan said...

I thought it was 42.

Douglas Adams was wrong?

Deb said...

I know for a fact that when my coffee consumption sinks below 4 cups per day, I become very depressed.

As we speak I am on cup number 4. Or maybe 5.

Deb said...

Not all cups are cups. I'm talking 12 oz cups.

Ann Althouse said...

The trick is to have your number and to really believe in it.

The hope keeps you alive.

Crunchy Frog said...

How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?

Henry said...

The trick is to have your number and to really believe in it.

My number is 4:15 PM.

Curious George said...

Also the darker the roast the less caffeine.

lemondog said...

One cup = 8oz.

3john2 said...

Five is right out.

William said...

Why would anyone want to get out of bed except for a cup of coffee?......There are healthy addictions. Compulsive jogging. Coffee drinking. Blueberries mixed with extra dark chocolate and yogurt. These are proof that there is such a thing as a benign God if only we open our hearts.

ALP said...

If you are worried about Alzheimer's, its 6 cups a day!

Tank said...


Two cups just before bedtime.

Freeman Hunt said...

I'm more curious about the ideal number of pots.

One hopes we might go past three into the bad and keep going, eventually coming around to it being good again.

Ann Althouse said...

The traditional coffee cup was actually 6 ounces. In measuring for recipes, it's true that a cup is 8 oz.

And a traditional wineglass is 5.5 oz., which is why I'm saying 10 - 12 oz. is 2 glasses.

Joe said...

I've tried to like coffee, but have never been able to.

(One irony; my oldest is a barista.)

Sam L. said...

I'm a Zero guy. Tea; by the bag, or loose (corralled, though).

Lyle said...

I imagine I drink coffee like Christopher Hitchens drank alcohol.

It's a comfort to me.

Strelnikov said...

According to Sheldon, 73 is the perfect number for everything.

That's a lot of coffee.

Anonymous said...

Are these little glasses or huge bobo glasses? You know, the ones that can stylishly fit an entire bottle of wine.