Chef Gordon Ramsay has revealed his morning routine, and health experts say it could have genuine benefits, including potentially reducing the risk of cancer. During an episode of WIRED's 'Gordon Ramsay Answers The Web's Most Searched Questions' series, the Scottish chef shared what he eats for breakfast and what he has after a gym session.
Ramsay's Coffee Habit
Answering the question "Does Gordon Ramsay drink coffee?", he said: "I love coffee. First thing in the morning, I'll start off the day after a session in the gym, and I'll get a black coffee and a croissant. Then throughout the day, I'll have a flat white. Potentially with oat milk or skim milk."
According to Healthline, "black coffee may provide an energy boost and improve mental function. It may also reduce your risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, liver cirrhosis, and type 2 diabetes."
Potential Cancer Risk Reduction
Healthline explains: "Some evidence shows that drinking coffee may reduce your risk of developing certain types of cancer. One review of 28 studies on coffee and cancer risk found that the more coffee the study participants drank, the lower their risk of liver cancer and endometrial cancer." While other studies have similar findings, Healthline stresses that "more studies are needed to fully understand how drinking coffee may affect cancer risk."
Having the popular beverage may also "improve mood and concentration" and reduce the risk of diabetes. Healthline noted: "One review found that drinking 3-4 cups (720-960 mL) of coffee per day could protect against type 2 diabetes, possibly due to the drink’s content of caffeine and chlorogenic acid." The study notes that while your risk may be lowered, "it’s important to note that adding sugar to black coffee or drinking other sugary coffee drinks likely cancel out any diabetes-fighting effects you may derive from coffee." Other benefits include "a slight boost in metabolic rate, or the calories you burn at rest", which "could help you lose weight and burn fat."
How Much Coffee Is Too Much?
Healthline notes that "too much caffeine - whether from coffee or other beverages like sodas and energy drinks - can cause uncomfortable side effects like insomnia, anxiety, rapid heart rate, stomach upset, headache, and nausea." It suggests: "Generally, healthy adults should try to stick to 400 mg of caffeine per day or less. If the only caffeinated drink you have is coffee, that’s about 4 cups (960 mL)."
Senior Dietitian Tracy Parker from the British Heart Foundation (BHF) also cautions: "Up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day, or around 4 to 5 cups of tea or coffee, is generally considered safe for most adults. You may find consuming too much caffeine at once or over the day can cause anxiety, sleeping problems and a rapid heart rate (palpitations). If you’re pregnant, the NHS recommends limiting caffeine intake to 200mg a day or less." She adds: "Although having a few cups of coffee a day is not bad for your heart, adding sugar, syrups, whole milk or cream to your drink adds calories and saturated fat, which can lead to weight gain and high cholesterol levels."
