Market research shows that 1 in 5 adults in the UK don’t drink coffee because they think it is addictive or causes stress.[i]  However the weight of scientific evidence shows that coffee is not an addictive substance.

It’s true that many people drink coffee on a regular basis, and coffee drinking may well be a habit, this does not amount to addiction but is simply a part of everyday life.  In fact, the World Health Organisation recognises that “there is no evidence whatsoever that caffeine use has even remotely comparable physical and social consequences which are associated with serious drug abuse”.

What about stress and anxiety? There is little evidence to show a correlation between moderate caffeine intake (of four to five cups per day) and anxiety.^{[ii],[iii],[iv]} Research in this area has found that a single large dose of caffeine (300mg) can cause anxiety – but this amount of caffeine is many times higher than the amount contained in a single caffeine-containing drink and is unique to scientific research.^{[ii],[iii],[iv]}

“We don’t need to worry about drinking a couple of cups of coffee causing stress or anxiety and we certainly don’t need to worry about becoming addicted to coffee.  The overwhelming weight of scientific evidence demonstrates that moderate coffee consumption of four to five cups per day is perfectly safe,” – Dr Christian Jessen.