Americans love coffee. That's not surprising, but just how much do we enjoy our morning cup of Joe? Or our second, third, or fourth cup?
According to the National Coffee Association, Americans drink 517 million cups of coffee every day, making it the second most popular drink in the United States, behind only water. And it seems to be increasing in popularity, with two-thirds of Americans drinking it on a daily basis. That's an increase of nearly 14% since January 2021. Coffee consumption appears to be rising or remaining steady across all age groups, according to the National Coffee Association’s Spring 2022 National Coffee Data Trends report.
Pour me another cup:
- At-home coffee drinking has become particularly popular since the Covid-19 pandemic, with 84% of coffee drinkers preparing a drink at home in the past day. However, plenty of people are still going out for coffee, with specialty and espresso-based drinks growing in popularity over the past two years.
- Although most people drink coffee because they rely on its caffeine boost or enjoy the taste, coffee has long been touted for its health benefits. There may even be a link between drinking coffee and longevity, thanks to the more than 1,000 biologically active compounds it contains.
- Numerous studies have identified a correlation between coffee and health benefits such as reducing inflammation, processing blood sugar, and lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease. It has also been linked to a reduction in cancer risk, liver disease, neurodegenerative disease, and other chronic conditions. However, none of these studies have definitively found coffee to be the cause of the health benefits, only a correlation.