When it comes to reducing your risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, formerly known as fatty liver disease), every beverage can seem like a vice. Soda? Definitely not recommended to drink regularly. Alcohol? Absolutely not. Iced tea? Only if it isn’t sweetened.
The one beloved beverage that seems to get a free pass is coffee. “Research consistently links coffee consumption with better liver health and a lower risk of several chronic liver conditions,” says Ali Ajlouny, RD, a registered dietitian with Health Loft.
To her point, a scientific article published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology states that drinking coffee is associated with improved liver enzymes and can even help lower incidences of fibrosis and cirrhosis.
How exactly does drinking coffee support liver health, and can drinking a cup of it every morning help lower the risk of MASLD? Here’s everything you need to know, according to registered dietitians.
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How Daily Coffee Consumption Affects Your Liver Health
In general, all three registered dietitians we talked to say that daily coffee consumption positively impacts liver health. “Coffee can be a beneficial addition to an overall healthy lifestyle, and research suggests it may offer specific benefits for liver health,” Ajlouny says.
Sarah Glinski, RD, a registered dietitian specializing in gut health and owner of Gut-Friendly Nutrition in British Columbia, Canada, points to scientific research backing this up, highlighting a recent study taking into account hundreds of thousands of people and showing that coffee was linked with lower risks of cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver-related death.
“Specifically, people who drank five or more cups of coffee daily had a 32% lower risk of cirrhosis, a 47% lower risk of liver cancer and a 42% lower risk of any kind of liver-related death,” she says.
Glinski says that MRI scans from the study showed that coffee drinkers had lower levels of fat and inflammation in their liver—two factors that are associated with an increased risk of liver disease. She adds that the health benefits for liver health were true for both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee.
While research shows the positive impact drinking coffee can have on liver health, Ajlouny emphasizes that coffee isn’t some sort of magic fix or cure-all. It works best as part of an overall healthy diet and lifestyle, which should include a balanced diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, limiting excess alcohol and managing metabolic health. “If someone already enjoys coffee, there’s good reason to feel confident that it can be part of a routine that supports liver health,” she tells Parade.
Related: This Is the #1 Most Important Habit for Liver Health, According to a Hepatologist
Can Coffee Reduce the Risk of Fatty Liver Disease?
While coffee certainly seems to benefit liver health, is it powerful enough to reduce the risk of MASLD, formally known as fatty liver disease? The answer is: kind of. “While coffee has been linked to a lower risk of serious liver problems associated with MASLD, such as liver scarring and cirrhosis, this does not necessarily mean that coffee prevents MASLD itself,” says registered dietitian Annie Guinane, RD.
That said, Guinane explains that drinking coffee regularly has been associated with a lower risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes, which are risk factors for MASLD.
Gilinski agrees.
“Some research suggests that drinking coffee may reduce the risk of MASLD, particularly in people who already have type 2 diabetes. This may be because coffee is linked with less weight gain over time. Other research suggests that while coffee may not prevent the development of MASLD, it may prevent its progression to advanced liver fibrosis,” she tells Parade.
That means that while drinking coffee may not lower the risk of MASLD directly, it could indirectly reduce the risk.
Related: We Asked 3 Hepatologists What To Drink in the Morning for Liver Health and They All Said the Same Thing
Antioxidants in Coffee Protecting Liver Cells From Damage
As Glinski previously shared, both caffeinated and decaf coffee are scientifically linked to supporting liver health. So if it’s not the caffeine that’s so beneficial, what is? It’s the antioxidants.
Ajlouny explains that coffee contains several bioactive compounds, including chlorogenic acids and other polyphenols, that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. “These compounds may help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, two processes involved in the development and progression of liver disease,” she says.
Guinane echoes this, adding that the antioxidants may also help reduce liver scarring and support the liver’s natural ability to repair itself.
How Much Coffee Should You Drink Daily for Maximum Liver Benefits?
Learning about the positive impact coffee can have on liver health may have you wondering just how much you need to drink to reap the benefits. Guinane emphasizes that more doesn’t necessarily mean better. “Don’t feel like you need to reach a specific number of cups or go from zero cups of coffee a day to five. Even just one to two cups of coffee a day has proven benefits,” she says.
She adds that some people have a higher caffeine tolerance than others. If drinking coffee is giving you anxiety, making your heart race, upsetting your stomach or is interfering with your sleep, these negative effects are outweighing the potential benefits. Remember, decaf coffee has the same benefits as caffeinated coffee.
Black Coffee vs. Sugary Coffee Drinks: What’s Best for Liver Health?
A caramel macchiato or mocha latte isn’t going to benefit your liver as much as a black cup of coffee. “The type of coffee beverage really matters. A plain cup of coffee and a large, heavily sweetened coffee drink are nutritionally very different,” Ajlouny stresses.
In fact, sweetened coffee drinks can actually harm the liver, completely negating the health benefits of the coffee. “Regularly consuming coffee beverages high in added sugar can contribute to excess calorie intake, weight gain and metabolic dysfunction, all of which increase the risk of liver fat accumulation and MASLD,” she says.
While enjoying a sweetened coffee drink occasionally is completely fine, Ajlouny explains that it’s when it becomes a daily habit that it can start to negatively impact the liver.
If you drink coffee in the morning—whether it’s caffeinated or not—you’re already starting the day by doing something good for your liver. It just may inspire you to keep the momentum going and make healthy choices all day long.
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Sources
- Ali Ajlouny, RD, registered dietitian with Health Loft.
- Wadhawan, M. and Anand, A. C. (2016). Coffee and Liver Disease. Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hepatology. 6(1):40-46.
- Sarah Glinski, RD, registered dietitian specializing in gut health and owner of Gut-Friendly Nutrition in Langley, British Columbia, Canada.
- Kim, S. K., Rezaee-Zavareh, M. S., Wang, Y., et al. (2026). Coffee Consumption and Improved Liver Outcomes: Clinical, Imaging, and Proteomic Evidence From the UK Biobank. Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. doi: 10.1016/j.cgh.2026.04.035.
- Annie Guinane, RD, registered dietitian with Fay Nutrition.
- Kaur, M., Murugesan, S., Singh, S., et al. (2023). The Influence of Coffee on Reducing Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Review. Cureus. 15(12):e50118.
- Lee, J. K., Park, J. and Bong Ahn, S. (2024). Different Associations of Coffee Consumption with the Risk of Incident Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease and Advanced Liver Fibrosis. Nutrients. hdoi.org/10.3390/nu16010140.