This probably gets asked all the time... page 2

[Damiana]

Drink as much as you can tolerate without suffering jitteriness, adrenal fatigue, or insomnia

[Tribal Rob]

My SO has to stick to 2 cups or she feels really crappy, I can cane it all day long and still sleep nights, though I have never had more than about 5-6 mugs in a day. Creamy coffee tends to reduce the amount of meals I eat, so that;s probably not nutrionally optimal. But one coffee with cream a day is fine IMHO.

[lala70]

I drink about 4 large cups in the morning and usually another couple of large cups in the afternoon ( I drink it black ).I am addicted for sure! I go to bed around 9 o'clock every night and wake up at 5 every morning and feel very rested. So ,I will continue to drink coffee as long as it isn't affecting me in any negative ways.

[JoanieL]

For me, it's about when more than how much. I'm not in the 6-8 cups a day league. I drink a 12 oz mug of espresso in the morning and occasionally, I drink another mug before 5pm. If I give in to a craving for coffee much after 5pm, I know I'm not going to fall asleep 'til the wee hours of the morning.

[ChocoTaco369]

I generally only drink coffee when I'm in the office. It kind of relaxes me. I don't drink it at all on the weekends and have never made myself coffee outside of work. I drink 1-2 12oz cups with about a tablespoon of half and half in it. Not much, but if I drink more it leads to an undesirable feeling. I've learned not to drink it after 2pm or it leads to less sleep.

[JennGlob]

I am so excited to know my 3-4 6oz mugs a day aren't nearly as bad as I thought. I love my coffee, but can't drink it after 3:00.

[tarek]

It really depends on how YOU feel drinking it. Personally, I usually stick to one 12oz. cup per day, but you might find that you do well with more.

The only way to discern its effects upon your body is to test it -- make note of how certain amounts effect your sleep, weight, skin, mood, energy, etc. If you experience negatives in any of these areas, try drinking a different amount. As a general rule with coffee, more is not necessarily better.

As a side note, the quality of your coffee can be just as important as the amount you drink. You can order unroasted coffee and roast/grind it at home -- unroasted single-origin coffee can be found online for about $5 - $7 per pound, which is an incredibly better deal than paying $14+ for a pound of stale coffee that was roasted or ground six months ago. If you use 3 - 4 tablespoons per 12oz. of coffee, one pound will give you 8 - 10 cups of coffee, which ends up being between $0.50 - $0.87 per cup. Awesome price for some of the best quality coffee you can have!

As far as your dairy intake goes, I wouldn't stress it. Heavy cream and yogurt (along with butter) are some of the more friendly types of dairy available. Again, if you're worried, test it. The most obvious signs that dairy isn't working for you are skin issues, digestive issues, fatigue, and weight gain.

[the_walrus0]

I think I might have a slight dairy intolerance, as I switched my almond milk for some of the organic, less messed with cow's milk and some heavy cream, as well as started cooking with butter and I've found I'm having stomach pains, gas, bloating and other issues. These are new sources of dairy. Before going primal I used unsweetened almond milk in my coffee and I ate cheese often and in abundance. I have always had digestive issues and I assumed much of it was from my SAD diet, but now I wonder if I may have some lactose or casein intolerance. Of course, I'm sure the grains, sugar and beans wasn't helping before. Maybe I can clear up some of my digestive issues by cutting out some of the dairy.

I'm going to cut out the cream, try cooking with ghee and stop using the milk and see how I feel. I might have to have my artisan cheese as a rare treat. I don't mind my coffee black, but I am desperately in love with my greek yogurt!!

[meeshar]

I personally can't handle more than 3 cups a day or I get jittery, and I can't have any after 5pm or I'll have trouble sleeping. I just had a sad moment, I really wanted some coffee to help me get through some chores and realized it was later than I thought. ::sigh:: My "cup of coffee" is in the form of espresso though--a double shot over hot water (Americano) with a splash of heavy cream and a few drops of stevia. In the summer that changes to iced. I used to drink way more than that, but I had a heart problem a few years ago and had to go off caffeine entirely, losing my tolerance in the process.

[Sefton]

3 to 5 cups ...6 to 12 oz. each. With my first mug at home being the biggest with cream and cc oil...a pinch of sugar.

I am not addicted to coffee....I just drink it to avoid getting a headache.