Coffee and bone health

I've always preferred tea to coffee until this past fall, when I started bringing a tall mug of hot coffee with half and half to work every day. That's pretty much my caffeine for the day, except for some green tea in the afternoon, or maybe a square of two of dark chocolate in the evening.  Since I've switched to coffee from Irish black tea in the morning, I've wondered whether the coffee is worse for my bones.  

A quick search turned up a number of studies that agree that a moderate amount of caffeine (up to 300 or 400 mg/day) has little or no effect on bone density, and is not associated with increased bone fractures, as long as calcium intake is adequate. Here is a sample of the studies:

• ​A report from the Institute of Scientific Information on Coffee
• An abstract of a study in Food Chemistry & Toxicology
• A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
• A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology

Common sense suggests that coffee in moderation can be included in a bone-building diet, if balanced by plenty of calcium, Vitamin D and other nutrients that help the body absorb calcium. You can start by holding the sugar, adding milk to your coffee, or eating an alkaline or calcium-rich snack (such as almonds or a piece of fruit).  

So enjoy a hot, comforting and energizing cup of coffee in the morning. Especially on these cold, January days.