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Will Drinking Coffee Darken Your Skin? Does Coffee Consumption Lead to Skin Darkening?

Published: 2026-01-27 Author: FrontStreet Coffee

Last Updated: 2026/01/27, Professional coffee knowledge exchange, more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style). Introduction - It's 2021 now, everyone is advised to think rationally and believe in science. Many people have probably heard the saying "you are what you eat," and as a result, they dare not touch dark-colored foods like soy sauce, coffee, and chocolate. I drink coffee regularly! Will it really darken my skin?

It's 2021 now, and everyone should think rationally and trust science.

Many people have probably heard the saying "you are what you eat," and then avoid dark-colored foods like soy sauce, coffee, and chocolate.

"I drink coffee often! Will it really make my skin darker?"

(Two seconds of silence, cough cough)

Please~ The color of food has absolutely nothing to do with your skin color!

Let's look at this from another perspective:

Does eating green vegetables make you green? Does eating strawberries make you pink? Does drinking water make you transparent? (Deep in thought...)

The Science Behind Coffee and Skin Color

Medical studies have shown that "the color components in coffee are all organic substances that are broken down in the human stomach and converted into substances that can be absorbed by the body. They do not directly enter the bloodstream to reach our skin."

In the eyes of dermatology experts, the claim that drinking black coffee makes skin darker has no scientific basis whatsoever.

What Actually Determines Skin Color

The substance that determines skin color is melanin, and the amount of this substance depends on two factors:

First, genetics, and second, sunlight (ultraviolet rays).

• Genetics

Not much needs to be said about genetics - just look at your parents.

• Sunlight

Sunlight exposure stimulates the skin, triggering its self-protection mechanism to produce melanin, thereby reducing UV damage to the skin and lowering the risk of skin cancer (summer is truly the season for getting tanned).

The Sleep Question

"I can't drink coffee - I won't be able to sleep if I do!"

You probably often hear this, especially from friends who don't drink coffee.

We all know that coffee contains caffeine, which has an energizing effect and stimulates the brain. Many people avoid drinking coffee for this very reason.

When Is the Best Time to Drink Coffee?

For this question, I recommend the morning or after lunch.

Coffee at these times can combat post-meal drowsiness and last for 3-4 hours. However, if you drink it in the afternoon, it might affect your night's sleep.

However, there's another perspective: if you have the habit of taking naps at the office, you might want to try taking a "coffee nap."

Reason 1: A 15-20 minute nap doesn't enter deep sleep, so there's no sleep dependency, making it easier to wake up.

Reason 2: Caffeine takes about 15-20 minutes to affect the cerebral cortex, so you'll feel refreshed right after waking up.

The Heart Health Question

"Drinking coffee every day - won't it affect my heart?"

Some people experience temporary discomfort like rapid heartbeat or headache after drinking coffee, and worry that it might worsen heart disease.

In recent years,越来越多的研究表明，喝咖啡不但对身体无害，反而能预防及减少多种疾病患病风险，

For example: high blood pressure, diabetes, liver disease, depression, cerebrovascular diseases and stroke, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and more.

According to research, for those who already have coronary heart disease, or even have experienced myocardial infarction, drinking coffee does not affect their heart function at all, nor does it trigger new pain.

Drinking 1-3 cups daily can significantly reduce the risk; if you drink 4-6 cups, the reduction in risk becomes even greater.