Enjoy that coffee, guilt free

A Harvard study of 85,987 women between 30 and 55 found no link between coffee and tea consumption—even drinking four cups or more a day—and breast-cancer risk.

Not only that, moderate coffee consumption may actually lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, gallstones, colon cancer and Parkinson’s disease, and improve cognitive function, according to Harvard Health Publications.

Avoid consuming more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day, however, as this can trigger anxiety, headaches and even abnormal heart rhythms, according to Health Canada and the Mayo Clinic. A single coffee product from certain retailers such as Starbucks or Second Cup may deliver that amount, according to a report by CTV and the Globe and Mail. (Timothy’s and Tim Hortons coffee typically delivers less caffeine per cup.)

Watch your additives, too. Choose skim milk whenever possible, add a single sugar if you must, and skip the cream and creamers.

I only recently discovered that Tim Horton’s offers skim milk when you ask for it, so there you go! I can’t give up my cuppa.