When is the best time to drink coffee?

Illustration of alarm clock with coffee beans

While multiple studies have found that moderate consumption of coffee is in fact good for your health, drinking your coffee at the wrong time of the day can wreak havoc on your energy, cortisol levels and general mood. So, we consulted with experts to figure out when we should really be enjoying our morning flat white.

The best time to drink your coffee

Before we dive in, it’s important to remember that everyone is different. People respond differently to caffeine and there’s no hard and fast, one-size-fits-all rule. But if you’re wanting to really optimise that energy boost from your coffee, you should be holding off a little bit longer before enjoying your first cup of the day and waiting until mid-to-late morning instead.

There are two reasons why: coffee’s impact on your cortisol levels (more on that later), and its effect on your blood sugar. Let’s start with the latter.

Coffee’s impact on blood sugar levels depends on a variety of things (including type of coffee and individual metabolic responses), but research tends to point towards caffeine generally causing temporary spikes in blood glucose levels. This is because caffeine stimulates the release of adrenaline, which in turn promotes glucose breakdown in the liver, thus releasing glucose into the bloodstream.

A study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that consuming a large black coffee first thing in the morning, especially if impacted sleep is also involved, can have a negative impact on blood sugar control – essentially lessening your body’s tolerance to sugar. This doesn’t help when traditionally breakfasts can be quite carbohydrate and sugar heavy.

Instead, before reaching for that cup of coffee, indulge in a protein-rich breakfast first, paired with some healthy fats to ensure a balanced start to your day, recommends sports nutritionist and founder of Lift Club, Beth Johnson.

“Something like a two whole egg, two egg white omelette with veg and a cheese of your choice is great. Or if you prefer something slightly sweeter, a big bowl of Greek yogurt with berries and a good dollop of peanut butter.”

The link between coffee and cortisol

All of coffee’s issues in the morning seem to be centred around a little thing called cortisol. And the term seems to be the internet’s favourite health buzzword right now, with health experts and fitness influencers left, right and centre talking about it.

Cortisol is a stress hormone that is produced by your two adrenal glands that sit on top of each kidney. It is an important element within your body, not only managing your use of carbs, fats, and proteins, but regulating your blood pressure, controlling your sleep cycle, boosting energy, and keeping inflammation down.

Having too little or too much cortisol can cause serious health problems – too much and you may develop a condition that can lead to weight gain, diabetes, and muscle weakness. Too little, and you may experience severe tiredness, loss of appetite and low blood pressure.

This doesn’t help in the morning when cortisol levels are already heightened thanks to your body’s natural circadian rhythm. Cortisol’s daily cycle peaks shortly after you wake up (around 30-45 minutes after waking) – this is known as your Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR), which is what helps your body prepare for the day’s activities. Throw a highly caffeinated drink into the mix, and you run the risk of excessive stimulation. Hence why some of us get that post-coffee jitteriness.

But that’s not the only time cortisol levels spike. Cortisol is generally heightened during periods of stress, too, and stimulates the same response within your body as caffeine does, according to sports nutritionist Rob Hobson.

“Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, leading to increased secretion of cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels can enhance alertness and energy, which can be positive, but it can also contribute to stress and anxiety,” Hobson explains.

So, if you’re feeling stressed or anxious, or you’re a naturally anxious person anyway, it might be time to skip the caffeine, or reduce it instead. Both your stress response and caffeine intake can cause increased heart rate and blood pressure, feelings of nervousness, and sleep disruption. All things that you want to be avoiding.

A man in gym kit pouring coffee into a mug

Can caffeine affect weight loss?

Coffee and its benefits to weight loss have been researched time and time again. Some researchers have found that drinking four cups of coffee a day can lead to moderate weight loss, while another study found that drinking coffee can increase your metabolic rate to the extent that activity occurs in your brown adipose tissue (the fat that burns calories), which leads to fat burning and weight loss.

“For some people, caffeine can increase the body's ability to burn fat. The caffeine in coffee stimulates thermogenesis, which is the process of heat production in the body, helping to burn more calories,” says nutritionist Sophie Trotman. “Additionally, for some people, coffee can act as an appetite suppressant, reducing the likelihood of overeating. And, caffeine can help to improve athletic performance, therefore burning more fat.

But, Trotman explains that we need to take this with a pinch of salt. Yes, while caffeine can behave in this way for some people, it has its downsides too: exacerbating anxiety, sugar cravings, and impacting your sleep. All of which can lead to weight gain.

Finally, consider coffee’s calorific content, too. While a large black coffee contains around 23kcal, and a skimmed milk flat white around 98kcal, calorie and sugar content can begin to rapidly increase with the variations of coffees you can now buy. Just a quick look at high-street coffee chain menus found some big flavoured, iced coffee drinks coming in at around 400 calories, with a whopping 48.8g sugar. So, if weight loss is a goal for you, you might want to reconsider what style of coffee you’re drinking.

“The best way to lose weight is through a balanced diet and regular exercise,” says Trotman. “There are other things you can work on, but those are the main methods.”

So, when is the best time to have a coffee?

When it comes to the best time of the day to drink coffee, look at it as an energy-booster instead – consuming coffee before exercise can enhance performance, leading to more effective workouts. But don’t drink it too late in the day, as you may struggle to fall asleep.

When is the best time to drink coffee?

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