Drinking Four Cups A Day Isn't Bad For You, Coffee Industry-Funded Study Says

Coffee is probably one of the most divisive subjects in the world of health and nutrition. Even though most scientists can agree that a little bit of coffee is actually good for your heart, what about when your coffee addiction goes beyond a cup or two a day? A new review of 740 studies by scientists at the International Life Sciences Institute of North America has found that drinking 400 milligrams of caffeine daily — or up to four cups of coffee — will have few if any adverse effects on your health.

Even if you go beyond 400 milligrams every once in a while, it won't kill you (as long as you're not chugging several venti iced coffees every single day). However, pregnant women are warned not to consume more than three cups of coffee daily.

"This provides evidence that furthers our understanding of caffeine on human health," the study authors said in a statement. "We concluded that the previously-defined levels of caffeine intake in a healthy caffeine consumer (400 milligrams) were not associated with overt, adverse effects."

But before you go on filling up your novelty mug one more time from the office coffee machine, you should know that the peer-reviewed study was partially funded by the American Beverage Association (ABA) and the National Coffee Association (NCA). Always read the fine print!