Do you enjoy your daily dose of coffee? Maybe a black espresso, or a latte? Or maybe an iced coffee from your favorite coffee house? No matter your preference, the big question remains: Is coffee safe during cancer treatment?
Well, as with most nutrition questions, there is no black and white answer. It all depends on you, the individual.
Is your mind foggy?
Caffeine is most commonly used to improve alertness. If you are having trouble with fatigue or focusing and have no medical reasons not to use caffeine, then caffeinated coffee may help you stay alert and awake. Just be sure to drink it early in the day so your nights aren’t interrupted.
Are you anxiety prone?
Caffeine in coffee can raise blood pressure as well as blood levels of the fight-or-flight chemical, epinephrine, which can cause a rapid heartbeat or anxiety.
If you have high blood pressure, hyperthyroidism or are prone to anxiety attacks, regular coffee may not be your drink of choice. Even if you didn’t have one of these conditions before cancer, any of these conditions can appear during cancer treatment. When in doubt, choose decaf coffee or discuss with your physician.
Are you watching your waistline?
Black coffee may be a good choice for weight loss over other flavored drinks as it has virtually no calories unless you add them. A teaspoon of sugar will add about 15 calories. Two tablespoons of half & half will give you 40 more. Choosing one cup of coffee instead of a can of soda saves you about 100 calories.
Drink the whole pot with cream and sugar? Well… then it’s not a low-cal drink.
Are you trying to gain weight?
I’ve talked with many patients who are struggling to gain weight, yet drink a pot of black coffee every day. Unfortunately, this amount of liquid fills up your stomach but doesn’t provide one ounce of nutrition – no carbs, no fat, no protein and no calories! If you need to gain weight but can’t quit the coffee, try adding cream and sugar (see above). If you can cut back, replace coffee with other liquids rich in nutrients – like soups, yogurt, 100% fruit juices, and milk.
Do you struggle with dehydration?
Caffeinated coffee is a mild diuretic — that is, it makes you urinate more than you would without it. But, recent research shows it may not have this effect in people who use caffeine regularly. If you have issues with dehydration, consider switching to decaf coffee, replace half of your coffee intake with water or drink one cup of water for each cup of coffee to help.
Do you struggle with heartburn?
Both regular and decaffeinated coffee can make heartburn worse. Heartburn can be a problem during cancer treatment for many reasons. If you drink coffee and struggle with heartburn, stop for a few days and see if the problem improves.
Do you have bone loss?
Drinking more than 300 mg of caffeine per day (amount in 2-3 cups of coffee) can increase the amount of calcium lost in your urine. Limit caffeinated coffee if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis and increase your calcium intake through low-fat yogurt, milk and cheese and supplements if needed.
Want to learn more about caffeine? Visit WebMD or Caring4Cancer for more information.
Loading map...
