In partnership with
I’m 8 months postpartum and I’m living on coffee.
I’ve always been extremely sensitive caffeine. Not that long ago, I was someone that could nurse a latte for multiple days.
But I’m at 2-3 cups a day now, and it’s what gets me through. It’s my main support for checking off the next thing on my neverending to-do list.
I know coffee is supposed to spike cortisol and stress. Tell me there are good things that can come out of this — not just for the sake of my productivity.
Beyond the caffeine hit, what am I actually getting from all this coffee?
Your polyphenol-rich daily indulgence
Coffee isn’t just caffeine and water. Every cup contains hundreds of plant compounds called polyphenols, the same type of beneficial compounds found in berries, dark chocolate, and green tea. They give plants their color and protect them from damage. When you eat or drink them, they help protect your cells too.
The main polyphenols in coffee are chlorogenic acids. They’re coffee’s version of the antioxidants in blueberries (anthocyanins) or green tea (catechins). Different plants and polyphenols, but they all work similarly to fight oxidative stress (the cellular wear and tear that contributes to aging and chronic disease).
At 2-3 cups a day, I’m getting roughly 480-750 mg of chlorogenic acids daily. That’s a substantial polyphenol load.
Coffee is one of the single largest sources of these protective compounds in Western diets. This isn’t because other foods don’t have them. Rather, we drink a lot of coffee collectively, and each cup packs a concentrated dose.
The key players in every cup:
Chlorogenic acids: the primary polyphenols, 160-225 mg per cup on average
Melanoidins: formed during roasting, add antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity
Caffeine: yes, it also contributes to overall antioxidant capacity
Interestingly, and more in our control, roast level and brewing method can change polyphenol content by 30-40%. Lighter roasts retain more chlorogenic acids. Darker roasts lose some, but gain melanoidins.
Hyperabsorbable means real impact
What makes chlorogenic acids so potent is that they break down in your gut to even more potent antioxidants: caffeic acid and other cinnamic acids, which are absorbed more efficiently than the large chlorogenic acids themselves.
Your gut microbiota transforms chlorogenic acids and melanoidins into smaller phenolic compounds with higher antioxidant activity. This means that a large fraction of coffee’s benefit happens in your colon (which has been associated with potential for colon cancer protection) .
Human studies show regualr coffee consumption shifts several blood markers in favorable directions:
Less inflammation: People drinking 4+ cups daily had significantly lower levels of inflammatory proteins that drive chronic disease risk
Better cellular protection: Increased levels of glutathione (a compound your cells make to neutralize damage) and less DNA damage
Improved metabolism: Higher adiponectin (a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and fat burning), lower leptin (associated with better insulin sensitivity)
Reduced cellular damage: 15-70% drops in markers of oxidative damage — the kind that contributes to aging and disease
These shifts make up the underlying explanations for why coffee is associated with lower risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and some cancers. It’s a bunch of antioxidants alongside highly coordinated metabolic and stress-response modulation.
And for the stressed among us?
The data on whether coffee's antioxidant benefits outweigh potential stress-related concerns in already-stressed (postpartum) women is limited and mixed.
What we know:
Higher overall dietary antioxidant scores during pregnancy are associated with substantially lower postpartum depression risk
Coffee's antioxidant gains are modest and not unique — you can get similar or greater benefits from a varied, high-antioxidant diet
The balance likely depends on individual caffeine sensitivity and sleep quality
Coffee's benefits are plausible, but not proven to clearly outweigh potential downsides for someone already stressed and sleep-deprived. Dose, timing, and individual response matter more than antioxidant content alone.
Smart starts here.
You don't have to read everything — just the right thing. 1440's daily newsletter distills the day's biggest stories from 100+ sources into one quick, 5-minute read. It's the fastest way to stay sharp, sound informed, and actually understand what's happening in the world. Join 4.5 million readers who start their day the smart way.
Fortify your routine
If you want to maximize coffee's benefits while minimizing stress-related downsides, here it is:
☕ Make it a daily habit, not a random pick-me-up.
Coffee's benefits — improved inflammation markers, better antioxidant defenses — show up after weeks of regular intake. Drink your cup(s) every day at roughly the same times. Your body adapts and builds better cellular defenses with consistency.
🌱 Switch to lighter roasts.
Light and medium roasts retain 30-40% more chlorogenic acids than dark roasts.
⏰ Stop drinking it during meltdowns.
Coffee can amplify your cortisol response when you're already stressed, so drink coffee during calm windows (morning routine, after breakfast, mid-afternoon breaks).
How valuable was today's issue for you?
1 16.6% lower CRP and 8.1% lower IL-6
