Is It Better To Drink Coffee Before Or After Breakfast?

Though drinking more than three or four cups of coffee a day might be bad for us, a growing body of research suggests that coffee drinkers might live longer and even age better. 

This may be especially true if we opt for black coffee with no sugar. 

And according to a 2020 paper in the British Journal Of Nutrition, when we drink our morning cup of Joe matters too. 

Is it better to drink coffee before or after breakfast? 

The scientists recorded participants’ blood responses to different consumption habits after a disrupted night’s sleep and a normal night’s sleep.

On one day, participants were given a glucose drink on waking from an uninterrupted sleep; on another, a glucose drink after a bad night’s kip; and on yet another day, a cup of coffee before the glucose drink (also after poor sleep). 

The glucose drink was meant to mimic the nutritional content of a “normal” breakfast.

In this study, the researchers found that one night of bad sleep did not significantly negatively affect healthy participants’ metabolism. 

But drinking coffee on an empty stomach before the glucose drink appeared to increase participants’ blood glucose response to the ‘breakfast’ by around 50%.

Harry Smith, the study’s lead researcher, told the University of Bath: “Starting a day after a poor night’s sleep with a strong coffee did have a negative effect on glucose metabolism by around 50%.

“As such, individuals should try to balance the potential stimulating benefits of caffeinated coffee in the morning with the potential for higher blood glucose levels, and it may be better to consume coffee following breakfast rather than before.”

Try breakfast first, then reach for coffee if you need it, the experts suggest

“We know that nearly half of us will wake in the morning and, before doing anything else, drink coffee – intuitively the more tired we feel, the stronger the coffee,” Professor James Betts, who oversaw the study, added.

“Put simply, our blood sugar control is impaired when the first thing our bodies come into contact with is coffee, especially after a night of disrupted sleep. We might improve this by eating first and then drinking coffee later if we feel we still... need it.” 

Dietitians recommend eating whole grains and protein first thing for a sustainable energy boost.