80% of coffee drinkers say they can’t take it black, new study finds

Americans are having a hard time adjusting to black coffee

By Emily Caldwell Published March 4, 2025

Black cup of coffee next to a pastry — Brigitte Tohm / Pexels

A new 2025 Wake Up Survey, conducted by an independent research firm, Edelman Data x Intelligence, in partnership with Nestlé Starbucks At Home, found that Americans still crave coffee add-ins, including cream, sugar, or flavorings. The study, which followed the coffee-drinking habits of about 1000 U.S. adults (from January 22nd through January 29th, 2025), found that 79% refused to drink black coffee. Additionally, most participants consumed their first cup of morning coffee 30 minutes after waking up.

Not only did the Wake Up Survey determine that most coffee drinkers want a flavorful cup, but it also found that more than 3 in 5 coffee drinkers sought easy options to enjoy their favorite cafe coffee flavors from home. Researchers found that while many are drawn to the caffeine in coffee, most coffee drinkers found drinking coffee to be a relaxing component of getting ready in the morning.

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Though we already knew coffee is an integral part of most Americans’ mornings, the Wake Up Study highlighted just how important coffee is to many drinkers. A key finding from the study was that nearly 1 in 10 coffee drinkers said they’d be willing to give up showering, washing their face, performing a skincare routine, or brushing their teeth to drink their coffee. Additionally, over 33% of respondents agreed they would give up social media to keep drinking coffee. For result accuracy, Edelman Data x Intelligence ensured all respondents in this study were 18 years or older and was sure to include a diverse set of participants based on gender, age, region, and race/ethnicity.

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Emily is a freelance journalist with a focus on food, travel, health, and fitness content. She loves to travel to new…

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Food & Drink

Breville Luxe Brewer takes home-brewed coffee to new levels

You don't need barista training to create a perfect cup of coffee at home

Breville Luxe Brewer with glass carafe on a kitchen counter.

Breville's Luxe Brewer is designed to prove that you don't need barista training to create a perfect cup of coffee. It combines precision brewing variable control with the simplicity of one-touch brewing to empower filtered coffee drinkers who desire perfect coffee at home.
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Food & Drink

Could more coffee keep you stronger as you age? New study says yes

Maybe drinking 4 to 6 cups a day is the answer

Pouring a cup of coffee

Have you been secretly hoping there's something good from your coffee addiction? New research suggests that coffee drinkers who regularly consume 4 to 6 cups of coffee per day may be at a decreased risk of frailty. According to a new study published in the European Journal of Nutrition, consuming 4- 6+ cups of coffee daily is associated with a lower risk of frailty in older adults. This latest study finding is the first that explores how coffee intake can impact various components of frailty, based on Fried's five-component frailty phenotype, a tool used to assess frailty in older adults. The tool examines multiple symptoms of frailty, such as weight loss, weakness, exhaustion, slow gait (walking) speed, and low physical activity.

Unlike previous studies that link coffee consumption to a decreased risk of developing chronic diseases, this innovative study explores how long-term coffee-drinking habits could affect strength. The researchers used data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA), which followed 1,161 adults aged 55 and over for seven years. Ultimately, the results of this study indicate that those with a higher habitual coffee consumption may be at an overall lower risk of frailty, which could be a direct result of the antioxidant content found in coffee. Researchers hypothesize that antioxidants may reduce inflammation and fight against muscle loss and damage.

Food & Drink

Is your wine laced with forever chemicals? What a new study says

This stuff doesn't go away, either

Group toasting with wine glasses

Recent tests conducted by Pesticide Action Network Europe have shown a shocking rise in the detectable levels of TFA, or triflouroacetic acid, in wines sampled from ten EU countries. TFA is a persistent breakdown product of chemicals used in refrigeration and agriculture, and is thought to pose a threat to human reproduction and liver toxicity.

The numbers are alarming. "We see an exponential rise in TFA levels in wine since 2010," the organization wrote in their report. "TFA was not detected in wines from before 1988, while wines from 2021–2024 show average levels of 122 μg/L, with some peaks of over 300 μg/L." Additionally, wines with higher TFA levels also demonstrated increased amounts of synthetic pesticide residues. This was expected, because TFAs have long been associated with long-lasting per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in pesticides. According to the EPA, PFAS substances are also found in fluorinated containers, a treatment intended to make these packages less permeable.