A few years ago (2018) a California court ruled that coffee sold in the state needed to come with a warning label saying that it could cause cancer. What was this all about and is it true that coffee can cause cancer? The ruling was based on a California law what says that if a product contains any amount of known carcinogens it needs a warning for consumers. In the case of coffee, it contains tiny amounts of acrylamide, a potential carcinogen.
Acrylamide as a Carcinogen
The chemical acrylamide is used in a variety of industries including mining, plastics, textiles foundry, oil drilling, construction, paper and pulp as well as food processing , cosmetics and water treatment.
Acrylamide is Used in Water Treatment
There are no human studies showing an association between acrylamide and cancer but there are animal studies showing a risk. The government regulates the acceptable level acrylamide in drinking water. However, overcooking starchy food can create acrylamide and there is no plausible way to regulate cooking in a home kitchen., Cigarette smoke is a major source of acrylamide exposure and this can be avoided.
What Is the Level of Cancer Risk of Acrylamide in Foods and Drinks?
There are no research studies in humans showing any significant incidence of cancer linked to dietary source. So, why did a California court say coffee needs to be labeled as a cancer risk? A California law states that if something contains any level of a chemical that in any setting and at any level of exposure is known to cause cancer then it warrants a warning label. Thus coffee which can have a tiny amount of this chemical was picked to be labeled as a cancer risk by a judge in 2018.
Coffee as a Way to Avoid Cancer
As opposed to the acrylamide situation with animal studies, there is much research with coffee showing that coffee consumption reduces the risk of cancer in humans. This applies to liver, endometrial, prostate, colon, skin, and mouth cancers. Additionally, coffee drinkers have a lower risk of developing type II diabetes, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
California and the Law Regarding Tiny Amounts of Potentially Dangerous Substances
The intent of the California law is good. They wanted to protect people from harmful substances. However, in the case of acrylamide, a potentially harmful substance in large amounts does not necessarily pose a risk with tiny amounts of exposure such as with people drinking just a few cups a day. and to top it off, long term human studies show that coffee reduces cancer risk instead of increasing it. Luckly the California Office of Environmental Health Assessment overruled the court and coffee does not need a warning label for cancer in California.
What Are the Risks That Come With Drinking Coffee?
So, coffee with tiny amounts of acrylamide does not appear to be related to any cancer risk in coffee drinkers. Are the others risks when you drink coffee? The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant and if you are being treated for high blood pressure you should check with your doctor about how much coffee you can safely drink or if you should switch to decaf. The caffeine in coffee can stimulate more acid secretion in your stomach. This if you taking medicines to prevent ulcer of gastric reflux causing esophageal inflammation you should also chat with you care giver about how much coffee or if decaf would be better.
What Are the Benefits of Coffee Drinking?
As we noted above, coffee drinkers have a lower risk of getting Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Type Two diabetes as well as cancers of the colon, uterus, prostate, skin, and mouth. Thus, if your sole concern is avoiding cancer you should not avoid coffee but rather enjoy up to six cups a day as the health benefits of coffee go up steadily to six cups a day and then level off.