Health Benefits of Turkish Coffee You Need to Know

If the rich, bold flavor and aroma weren’t enough to tempt you, the following health benefits of Turkish coffee may provide the perfect excuse for a coffee and wellness break! (The caffeine kick doesn’t hurt, either.)

Coffee is the most widely used drug in the world. If you are part of the 74% of Americans who partake in drinking coffee daily, you probably understand the important role this morning ritual plays in our society.

For this reason, it is important to understand the effects of what we are drinking as part of our daily routine.

Turkish coffee specifically is such a potent and highly caffeinated type of coffee. As such, it’s worth learning more about the health benefits of Turkish coffee, as well as a few drawbacks to be aware of.

What is Turkish coffee?

Turkish coffee doesn’t refer to any particular types of coffee beans.

Rather, it describes the method of coffee preparation, which yields a unique flavor.

Turkish coffee is boiled, unfiltered coffee traditionally consumed in Middle Eastern and European countries including Turkey, Greece, and Iran.

First, you start with very finely ground coffee. It should look almost like a powder or silt. Then you combine it with water (and usually sugar, and often cardamom or other spices) in a small copper pot called a cezve (in Turkey) or an ibrik. The pot has a long handle so you can handle it safely over a hot stove. Next, you heat the mixture over the stove until it starts foaming up – just below boiling.

Finally, you pour into a small cup made from porcelain called a kahve fincani, with any additional foam added to the top. These tiny Turkish coffee cups often come with a decorative metal cage and handle so you don’t burn your fingers taking a sip. Once the coffee grounds settle to the bottom, you can enjoy your cup of traditional Turkish coffee.

People traditionally serve Turkish coffee with a glass of water and a sweet treat such as Turkish delight. I think this would complement unsweetened or lightly sweetened Turkish coffee nicely. (Turkish delight is a rose-flavored jelly candy.)

If you are curious about the differences between Arabic coffee vs Turkish coffee, here’s my complete breakdown.

Health Benefits of Turkish Coffee

Now, onto the good stuff! Here’s why this excellent drink is the perfect choice for a morning pick-me-up.

1. It can enhance your exercise performance.
2. It can help maintain cognitive function and improve mental performance.
3. It contains a high amount of beneficial compounds.
4. It can lower your risk of certain diseases.
5. It can significantly reduce your risk of cancer.
6. It can protect your liver.
7. It can give you instant energy.
8. It can help your weight-loss efforts.
9. It can support gut health.
10. When made with cardamom, it can provide even more benefits and antioxidants.

Let’s learn more!

Drinking Turkish coffee can improve your exercise performance

Caffeine is a known natural stimulant that can boost your energy levels.

A study by the Institute of Exercise Physiology and Wellness specifically studied the effects of drinking caffeinated Turkish coffee versus decaffeinated Turkish coffee one hour before exercise on habitual caffeine consumers.

The caffeinated participants experienced significant performance benefits in reaction time as well as increased subjective feelings of energy compared to their trials following decaf.

In addition, while not considered statistically significant, 60% of the participants ran a faster 5k after drinking caffeinated Turkish coffee than they did in their time trial after drinking decaf.

Turkish coffee can strengthen your brain and even help prevent cognitive decline

Drinking caffeinated coffee may help protect against neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.

A meta-analysis of relevant studies shows that higher coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, perhaps as much as 27% lower risk.

This article notes that the decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease may be related to a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes, discussed below, since “insulin resistance is considered in the etiology of that disease,” referring to Alzheimer’s disease. Indeed, many people now refer to Alzheimer’s disease as type 3 diabetes.

Drinking coffee on a regular basis may similarly lower the risk of Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and dementia.

It contains numerous beneficial compounds

Unfiltered coffee, like Turkish coffee, may contain higher levels of the beneficial compounds we expect in any coffee.

For example, coffee beans contain types of polyphenol antioxidants called chlorogenic acids, which improve inflammation, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure.

Furthermore, coffee brewed from finely ground coffee (medium roast) contains higher amounts of chlorogenic acids than coffee made from coarser grounds.

Antioxidants help your body fight off free radicals and oxidative damage.

I don’t know about you, but in today’s world, I’ll take as many antioxidants as I can get!

Consuming Turkish coffee can have protective effects against certain diseases

Turkish coffee, and coffee in general, can support cardiovascular health and healthy blood sugar levels, lowering the risk of diabetes.

Another meta-analysis of 18 studies found that every additional cup of coffee consumed per day was associated with a 7% reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. (Decaffeinated coffee and tea were also significantly beneficial.)

In addition, regularly drinking 3-5 cups of coffee per day is associated with a 15% reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, also called heart disease.

It can also significantly reduce your risk of cancer

Coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of endometrial cancer, as well as liver cancer, as mentioned below.

Chlorogenic acid, discussed above and found in coffee (and even more so in Turkish coffee), has a “wide range of potential health benefits . . . including its anti-diabetic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity impacts.”

For this reason, drinking coffee can help you maintain good health.

In addition, it can protect your liver

Turkish coffee lovers will appreciate knowing that this beverage can also benefit your liver.

For example, habitual coffee intake is associated with a reduced risk of liver cancer as well as liver cirrhosis.

Turkish coffee can provide you with instant energy

As mentioned with athletic performance, drinking Turkish coffee results in increased subjective feelings of energy and power levels.

Caffeine can trigger an adrenaline rush. It can also increase dopamine levels to create a caffeine high.

There’s no need to save these feelings for the gym though – try some Turkish coffee as a pick-me-up before tackling a big project at work, cleaning out your garage, or any other task that you think a boost in energy would help with.

Indeed, Dr. Andy Ridgway writes, “It was the clarity and energy that doses of caffeine provided (distributed via the tea and coffee houses of Europe) that helped usher in the Enlightenment and make the switch from farms to factories during the industrial revolution.”

(You can read the full article, “In praise of caffeine: How the right amount unlocks lifelong benefits for your body and mind,” in BBC Science Focus Magazine or on Apple News.)

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Drinking Turkish coffee can also aid your weight loss efforts

Only if you drink it unsweetened, that is.

A study (published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition) found that drinking one cup of unsweetened coffee per day, either regular coffee that was caffeinated or decaf, was associated with a loss of 0.12 kg after 4 years.

However, adding 1 tsp of sugar per day to that same cup of coffee led to an increase of 0.09 kg after 4 years.

Cream and non-dairy whiteners did not appear to cause significant weight gain.

Drinking coffee can support gut health

Coffee contains phytochemicals that encourage the growth of good bacteria in your gut. Drinking coffee can also lower harmful microbes.

Coffee also helps food move through the digestive system more quickly (as quickly as fibrous cereal and 60% more quickly than a glass of water). This is good. You can compare it to a stream. When the water is flowing, it stays clear. However, when it sits still, bacteria can overpopulate.

Healthy digestion means harmful materials spend less time in your body and therefore may cause less harm.

When made with cardamom, Turkish coffee may provide even more benefits

Traditionally, many people make Turkish coffee with cardamom for a delicious flavor.

Cardamom contains powerful antioxidants, which can help lower inflammation, thus reducing your risk of chronic diseases.

A study found that cardamom extract was effective in inhibiting inflammatory compounds in rats (specifically, TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor) and IL-6 (interleukin 6)).

In addition, cardamom essential oil possesses antibacterial properties.

Potential Drawbacks and Side Effects of Drinking Turkish Coffee

As with most things in life, there can be too much of a good thing.

While moderate Turkish coffee intake is generally considered to be a healthful habit, here are some reasons to make sure you don’t overdo it.

Potential harms of Turkish coffee:

1. It can be a vessel for too much sugar.
2. It can disrupt sleep and worsen anxiety.
3. It raises blood pressure in the short term.
4. It can disrupt hormonal balance, especially for women.
5. It may increase triglycerides and cholesterol levels.

Let’s look at each of these in more detail.

It’s often sweetened with sugar

While the occasional sweet treat is generally considered to be part of a balanced diet, too much sugar consumed regularly can contribute to numerous health problems.

Specifically, excessive sugar intake can increase your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, among other serious concerns. This could wipe out the beneficial effects of the coffee itself if it’s drowning in sugar.

Try reducing the amount of sugar you use in your coffee or even going cold turkey on sweetened coffee. Alternatively, try using spices like cardamom or cinnamon. These can help you adjust to enjoying plain coffee without sugar.

Sugar alternatives like stevia may also help you ease back on your sugar intake to lessen these harmful effects.

Learning to enjoy most coffee unsweetened, with the occasional sweet treat, makes for a nice, balanced strategy.

The high caffeine content could disrupt sleep

You probably have a pretty clear understanding of the effects of caffeine, but here’s a quick refresher.

Too much caffeine (or any amount for those sensitive to it) can disrupt your sleep and increase feelings of anxiety.

The higher concentration of caffeine in Turkish coffee specifically can exacerbate these problems.

Try to limit your coffee habit to just the morning to reduce this side effect.

It can raise blood pressure

Drinking coffee raises blood pressure in the short term, for over three hours after consumption. This is particularly true for Turkish coffee, with its higher amount of caffeine.

While many people enjoy coffee without apparent harm, people with hypertension and “uncontrolled blood pressure should avoid consuming large doses of caffeine“.

Coffee can disrupt hormonal balance, particularly for women

For everyone, caffeine can make your body produce more cortisol, also known as the stress hormone. This is part of the same process that causes the adrenaline rush people seek from coffee. However, too much cortisol can reduce your ability to regulate inflammation.

Women tend to metabolize caffeine (and alcohol) more slowly than men. This means they may experience negative effects like sleep disruptions and increased anxiety both after a lower dose and for longer after drinking coffee.

Caffeine consumption can also change women’s estrogen levels. Variations in estrogen levels are associated with disorders including endometriosis, osteoporosis, and endometrial, breast, and ovarian cancers.

For this reason, some women with these conditions choose to limit their coffee intake or skip it altogether.

Turkish coffee can increase triglyceride and cholesterol levels

Unfiltered coffees, including Turkish coffee, contain more cafestol and kahweol than filtered coffee. These are diterpenoids which may increase triglyceride and cholesterol levels in the blood.

(On the other hand, the diterpenoids in coffee may help reduce inflammation, fight off infections, and support your heart health. Make of that what you will. What do I make of it? Moderation in all things.)

Ready to try some good Turkish coffee?

How to make Turkish coffee – preparation method

You can easily master this unique way of brewing coffee at home with minimal equipment.

To make four small cups of Turkish coffee (2-ounce demitasse cups):

1. Measure out 4 tsp of finely ground coffee (Turkish grind if you use the machines at grocery stores, although both Turkish- and espresso-sized coffee grinds will work in a pinch). Then measure out 1 cup of water, along with sugar and spices according to your taste preference (try 2 tsp sugar and 1/8 tsp ground cardamom).
2. Stir all ingredients together in a small pot, then bring it to just under a boil over medium heat.
3. Once the Turkish coffee starts foaming or bubbling, remove it from the heat and pour it into small cups. Spoon any remaining foam into the cups if necessary.
4. Allow the grounds to settle at the bottom of the cup, then enjoy your delicious coffee!

(If you are at work or somewhere with less kitchen equipment, you can also just pour hot water over the Turkish coffee grounds in your cup, stir in some sugar, and allow the grounds to settle before drinking.)

Nowadays, you can also buy a Turkish coffee maker to automate the brewing process.

For a less orthodox approach, some people put finely ground beans in espresso machines for stronger coffee.

When to serve Turkish coffee

Lonely Planet states that Turkish people generally drink tea with breakfast. Then, they drink Turkish coffee as an afternoon coffee break or after dinner.

When drinking coffee after dinner, people typically drink a glass of water, which people serve alongside it, first as a palate cleanser. This allows the coffee to cool slightly and the grounds to settle to the bottom. (No word on when you are supposed to eat a Turkish delight, which people also serve with coffee.)

Nutritionally speaking, the ideal time to drink Turkish coffee would be in between meals. For example, mid-afternoon or at least 30 minutes after eating both work well.

While the polyphenols in tea and coffee are healthy antioxidants, they can inhibit iron absorption.

Healthline states that if you are at risk of iron deficiency, you should avoid tea and coffee during meals and wait an hour after eating to drink your caffeinated cup of choice.

Livestrong says that you should take iron supplements (or eat iron-rich foods) at least an hour before or more than an hour after drinking coffee.

Turkish Coffee Recipe Card

History of how Turkish coffee spread and gained in popularity – an illicit past

While tea consumption dates back to ancient times (around 141 BCE, according to NPR), coffee appears to be a relative newcomer.

Our earliest evidence of coffee consumption as we know it dates back to the mid-15th century, in Sufi shrines in southern Arabia, in what is now Yemen.

Rumor has it that Turkish coffee made its way into the Ottoman Empire via traveling merchants by the 16th century.

It is possible that Özdemir Pasha, the Mamluk general for the Ottoman Empire in charge of Yemen, officially presented it to Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent (also called Suleiman the Lawgiver), who popularized this delicious beverage.

However, a strict interpretation of the Quran would consider this strong coffee a forbidden drug. Accordingly, a century later, Sultan Murad IV outlawed coffee. In fact, he made drinking coffee a capital crime and personally decapitated people he caught breaking his law.

As you may imagine, the immense popularity of coffee, even under the threat of death, led to the eventual lifting of this prohibition.

From there, Turkish coffee spread, eventually reaching France and Britain by the mid to late 17th century. The Turkish ambassador to France threw lavish parties for Paris’ elite, at which slaves served coffee to the guests on gold or silver saucers.

Turkish coffee in modern Turkish culture

In addition to being a daily beverage, Turkish coffee plays a fun role in Turkish wedding culture.

Leading up to the marriage, the future groom’s family, with the groom-to-be in tow, visits the future bride’s family to ask for her hand in marriage and to ask for her parents’ blessing upon the union. During the course of this meeting, the bride-to-be is expected to make Turkish coffee and serve it to the guests.

The young woman in question sometimes uses salt instead of sugar in her future husband’s cup as a gauge of his character. If he drinks the coffee without complaint, she can assume he is good-tempered and patient. Thus, he passes this common test of etiquette if he politely accepts this gift with a smile.

In Conclusion: The Benefits of Turkish Coffee are Substantial

As you have seen, coffee in general and specifically Turkish coffee provides an impressive list of benefits (of course with a few caveats).

Indeed, coffee is inversely associated with all-cause mortality. That is very encouraging for those of us who were hoping for some good news about our daily fix.

Now feel free to go and enjoy a cup of Turkish coffee!

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Important: This post is for informational and educational purposes only. This post should not be taken as medical or nutritional advice or used as a substitute for such. You should always speak to your own doctor or nutritionist before implementing this information on your own. Thank you!

I hope you enjoyed reading this article on the health benefits of Turkish coffee!