Lifestyle

Faarah Coffee Lounge / Lifestyle

Whether it's an iced coffee on a summer morning, a hot cup before work or a warm latte on a snowy day, there is no doubt that Americans love coffee – or at least its caffeine. We use it to wake up, stay focused and get work done. But two age-old questions about the world's most widely used psychoactive substance linger: How much coffee is too much? And is it actually good for your health? Studies around the world have attempted to address...

While past studies hinted that coffee might have a dark side, newer research suggests that it may actually have health benefits. Why the reversal? It's hard to look at just one aspect of diet and connect it to a health condition because so many other factors that could play a role. For example, early research on coffee didn't always take into account that heavy coffee drinkers also tended to use tobacco and be sedentary. When newer studies adjusted for such factors, they...

A little morning java can feel just as essential to a productive day as an hour at the gym. But that cup of Joe might not always be working to your advantage. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology suggests that contrary to caffeine-junkie beliefs, coffee can actually deflate your confidence and focus in high-pressure situations. But that doesn’t mean you should abandon Starbucks just yet. As a slew of new studies show, coffee can be a...