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Eggs are bad… eggs are good! Butter is bad…butter is good! Coffee is bad…Coffee is good!
How do we know who or what to believe?
There is an abundance of information out there on every topic and it is common to have conflicting information. This is normal and part of the scientific process.
The Research Pyramid is a tool that we can use to assess the impact of a report. For example, If a local news station, health practitioner, or an online influencer mentions a newly published study showing that coffee is unhealthy for various reasons, the first question that is important to ask is if there is a systematic review or meta-analysis (a review of all prior research) available about that topic. Systematic reviews are on the top of the Research Pyramid and are likely to be more accurate. Expert opinion without any supporting evidence is on the bottom of the pyramid and has a higher risk of bias.
Notice that randomized controlled trials are near to top of the pyramid which can disagree with each other. That is why systematic reviews are important because they will analyze all available research to come to an overall conclusion.
Of course it doesn’t mean that it is written in stone. As future evidence continues to be published, further systematic reviews will be completed and consensus can change. Here are some examples of systematic reviews on coffee consumption.
| Year published | Author(s) | Findings |
| 2021 | Shahinfar H. et. al. | Drinking coffee may improve the lifespan of those diagnosed with diabetes. But effects of using creamer and sugar is unclear. |
| 2017 | Poole R. et. al. | Looked at 201 studies involving coffee consumption and any health benefit including decreased cardiovascular disease, cancer rates, diabetes type II, Parkinson’s Disease, and liver disease are associated with drinking 3 to 4 cups per day. It was also found that there is an association with low birth weight and childhood leukemia with pregnant women who drink coffee. |
| 2016 | Grosso G. et. al. | There is a decrease in all cause mortality, cancer, and cardiovascular disease when drinking 4 cups of coffee per day. There is no benefit of drinking more. Smoking may decrease positive affects of coffee. |
This doesn’t mean that everyone should start drinking 3 to 4 cups of coffee per day. We all have our unique health issues that may be affected positively or negatively. Some people with cardiac issues may need to decrease caffeine intake and consulting with a physician is always a good idea.
There is a saying “trust the research”. But should we?
The correct statement should be to question research and find support as well as flaws of publications to further push research in a positive direction. Here is an example of flaws with each type of research in the research pyramid:
As this diagram shows, we need to question data and we need to be vigilant to promote transparency with research.
Global Health & Wellness Institute 
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