In the United States, one in nine people aged 65 and older has Alzheimer’s disease, which equates to 7.4 million people. There is no way to completely prevent Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia, but certain lifestyle habits can affect your risk, including what you drink. According to three experts, the best drink to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s is coffee.
Experts have said that coffee is the best drink to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease due to its extensive research and unique properties.
“I recommend coffee because it has been studied extensively and some large observational studies suggest that moderate consumption may benefit cognitive health,” Jennifer Pallian, RD, registered dietitian and founder of Foodess, tells HEALTH.
A major study in 2026 of more than 131,000 people followed for up to 43 years found that drinking two to three cups of coffee daily was associated with better cognitive performance and a lower risk of dementia.
“Participants who consumed the most caffeine had an 18% lower risk of dementia than those who consumed the least,” added Emer MacSweeney, MBBS, MRCP, FRCR, a London-based neuroradiologist and co-founder of Re:Cognition Health.
This effect may be due to coffee’s beneficial plant compounds, including caffeine, chlorogenic acids, and other polyphenols. These compounds act as antioxidants, helping to reduce inflammation, oxidative stress and vascular dysfunction that could otherwise harm brain health, Pallian explained.
Caffeine may be particularly important for preventing Alzheimer’s disease. Early research suggests that caffeine may limit the accumulation of beta-amyloid and p-tau, two proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
“Caffeine may also improve insulin sensitivity and vascular function, potentially helping to reduce metabolic risk factors associated with cognitive decline,” Pallian added.
Experts have suggested the following tips to maximize the brain health benefits of coffee:
- Drink about two to three cups of coffee per day. Research suggests this amount may provide the greatest cognitive benefits. The effects begin to stabilize (and potentially diminish) beyond this.
- Choose caffeinated coffee, whether you can safely consume caffeine. Experts recommend it given evidence of caffeine’s potential protective effects against Alzheimer’s disease, although decaf may still offer benefits thanks to its antioxidants.
- Drink caffeinated coffee before noon, or about eight hours before you go to bed. Quality sleep is a key part of preventing Alzheimer’s disease, and “if taken at the wrong time, the wake-promoting effects of caffeine can cause further sleep disruption and prevent restful sleep during an already limited sleep window,” Hanul Bhandari, MD, neurologist and sleep medicine specialist and founder of Brainology, tells HEALTH.
- Limit additives. Adding too much sugar, flavored syrup, and sweetened cream to your coffee can increase inflammation and harm its potential brain benefits.
Although the evidence for coffee’s cognitive benefits is compelling, experts stress that it should not replace a brain-healthy diet.
“The strongest evidence continues to favor predominantly whole-food, plant-based diets, such as the Mediterranean and MIND diets,” MacSweeney told HEALTH, “which emphasize vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, fish, nuts, and healthy fats, with relatively few highly processed foods.”
Gn Health
