- Some western influencers are increasingly warning against coffee for kids and adults, but sugar-loaded energy drinks with high caffeine levels are less scrutinised
- In markets like Brazil, children drinking coffee is a longstanding tradition
- “Demonising” coffee can also disrupt & reshape global markets – giving high-sugar soft drinks the upper hand
CHILDREN consuming coffee is a concept that would be met with either outrage, pride, or a shrug – depending on where you are in the world.
Influencers in the health and wellness space routinely vilify coffee, particularly for younger audiences – especially in the Global North. Social media platforms are rife with advice warning parents against letting their kids sip even the smallest cup of espresso.
“How much caffeine is safe for kids? There’s not enough research to determine a specific amount, but many doctors you ask will say the same thing: None,” reads an article by Columbia University Irving Medical Center.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children under 12 should avoid all caffeinated products, including coffee, tea, soda, and sports drinks. For adolescents aged 12 to 18, caffeine intake should be limited to less than 100 milligrams per day, roughly equivalent to a small, traditional cup of coffee.
These voices often lump coffee together with energy drinks and sugary sodas. Caffeine consumed in substantial amounts is harmful for children – and indeed for adults. But is coffee the most important culprit?
It’s not just coffee delivering a caffeine jolt. According to a Consumer Reports investigation, some sports drinks can pack nearly 250 milligrams of caffeine per bottle, depending on the brand. A cup of tea can contain up to 47 milligrams, while diet soda typically has around 46 milligrams.
Chocolate also contributes to caffeine intake, with darker varieties containing more. For instance, a handful of chocolate-covered coffee beans can deliver a whopping 336 milligrams of caffeine, as reported by the US Department of Agriculture.
The “demonisation” of coffee contrasts starkly with society’s acceptance of other arguably more problematic consumables for kids.
“Sugary sodas and energy drinks, full of artificial flavours and chemicals that harm health, are more accepted than coffee, which is natural and backed by research showing it can be good for human health,” says Lina Granados, Commercial Executive of Colombian exporter Racafé.
Energy drinks like Prime, which are high in sugar and caffeine, have achieved cult status among children despite mounting evidence of their adverse health effects – a 2024 study finds evidence that supports a ban on the sale of energy drinks to under-16s. Yet it remains a huge and growing market, and up to a third of UK children drink them every week.
Coca-Cola, an ultra-processed product loaded with sugar and additives, has enjoyed decades of marketing success targeting younger audiences.
Even oat milk, hailed by some parents as a healthier alternative, is often fortified with sugar and arguably lacking the nutritional benefits of whole milk.
The mixed messaging on coffee adds fuel to parental anxiety. In the U.S. and parts of Europe, coffee consumption among kids is almost taboo.
Headlines about stunted growth or jittery behaviour ensure coffee remains a “grown-up” drink. But is it as harmful as it’s portrayed? And why has it become such a contentious issue when other, arguably worse, products go unchallenged?
Cultural contexts and perceptions
In many coffee-producing countries across Latin America, for example, the notion that coffee is inappropriate for children would likely be met with raised eyebrows.
In these regions, coffee is often interwoven into daily life and introduced to children early, albeit in milder forms.
In Brazil, it’s not unusual for children to sip a sweetened coffee-milk mixture served at family breakfasts. Offering a cafezinho – a small, strong cup of coffee made by adding sugar or “rapadura,” Brazil’s unrefined sugar – is a big part of Brazilian culture that extends to children as well.
“In coffee-producing countries like Brazil, especially in regions like Minas Gerais, introducing coffee to kids is a common tradition,” says Isabelle Mani, PR and communications consultant for the coffee industry originally from Brazil. “Some families even give coffee with sugar to babies before breast milk, believing it helps prevent cramps.”
“Sipping coffee is a normal part of growing up. I remember as a child, around four or five, my parents and aunts would let me have coffee, often diluted with milk or topped with cream. However, in Brazil’s larger, more globalised cities like São Paulo, the attitude towards kids drinking coffee is different, and it’s less common. This contrast reflects the diversity of Brazil’s culture and traditions around coffee.”
In Colombia, some doctors maintain that coffee is permissible for children, and some kids are training to be baristas to save the country’s coffee culture.
“I grew up in Colombia’s coffee axis, in a family that has grown coffee for four generations,” says Lina. “Coffee has been part of my life since birth. I remember my mother serving ‘Pintao’ – coffee with milk – for breakfast every morning. Throughout the day, filter coffee was a staple, offered in every office, farm, or home we visited, often sweetened with panela or sugar cane. Drinking coffee offered by a host is considered good manners, a lesson Colombian mothers instill early.”
“Growing up in this environment taught us that coffee is more than a drink; it’s a gesture of hospitality, a way to connect, and a source of pride. Unlike Western perspectives, where coffee can be seen as just a habit or stimulant, Colombians view it as a positive, integral part of life and culture.”
The negative perception of coffee for children seems to stem largely from Western cultural norms. Historically, coffee was marketed as an adult beverage, one that symbolised productivity, alertness, and sophistication. Some critics call it a legal, social drug.
Advertising reinforced the notion that coffee consumption was a marker of maturity, unsuitable for children.
Moreover, public health campaigns in the West have frequently focused on the potential dangers of caffeine without providing balanced discussions about quantity, context, or cultural nuance.
Ironically, many of the same countries demonising coffee have little issue with marketing sugary cereals or chemically laden energy drinks to kids. These products, heavily marketed by corporations, often escape the scrutiny coffee faces, despite their more direct links to childhood obesity, diabetes, and behavioural issues.
Skincare brands targeting preteens or fast-food chains creating “happy meals” rarely receive the same level of judgement.
The societal expectations around parenting also exacerbate the issue. In many Western societies, parents are under relentless pressure to ensure their children are consuming only the healthiest, most wholesome foods and drinks.
Offering a child coffee, even in moderation, risks the perception of poor parenting, despite the drink’s relatively low sugar content and potential health benefits when consumed in controlled amounts.
The wider implications of coffee’s demonisation
The cultural divide over coffee’s acceptability for children underscores broader tensions in the global food and beverage market.
While coffee-producing nations normalise early exposure to coffee, consumption in many importing countries is steeped in anxieties about health and lifestyle, and even more so since the pandemic. This has implications for how coffee is marketed, perceived, and consumed worldwide.
For one, the demonisation of coffee could stifle its appeal to younger generations in Western markets.
If coffee is framed as unhealthy or inappropriate, future demand may shift toward alternatives perceived as safer or trendier – such as caffeine-infused sodas or artificially flavoured milk drinks. This trend could limit growth opportunities for coffee businesses, particularly those reliant on cultivating a younger customer base.
“For me, this stems from a significant lack of consumer education and persistent myths about coffee passed down through generations without scientific basis or sufficient context framing warnings,” says Lina.
“Education and accurate information are key to changing perceptions, and it’s the responsibility of the coffee industry to demystify these misconceptions and promote informed consumption.”
Conversely, the misrepresentation of coffee also presents an opportunity to reshape the narrative.
Coffee is rich in antioxidants, has potential cognitive benefits, and, when consumed responsibly, poses fewer health risks than many ultra-processed alternatives targeting kids.
Highlighting its role in traditional practices and its place as a natural product, as opposed to the artificial concoctions saturating the market, could help rehabilitate its image.
Even in Brazil, where coffee is widely accepted – even for kids – it has been somewhat stigmatised in recent years.
“In Brazil and much of South America, the association between coffee and sugar is deeply rooted in history, particularly due to the region’s legacy of sugarcane cultivation during colonisation,” says Isabelle.
“Excessive sugar consumption was a significant health issue, especially for children, causing widespread dental problems. This gave rise to Brazil’s strong dental care culture, now one of the most advanced globally.
“This historical sugar consciousness extends beyond South America to parts of Europe, where balancing the bitterness of low-quality dark roasts with sugar became a cultural norm. It’s not about coffee itself or poor parenting – it’s the association with sugar that sparks concern. For example, Brazil’s traditional cafezinho often contains up to 20% sugar, emphasizing how ingrained this practice is.”
Ultimately, coffee’s stigmatisation for children reflects larger societal inconsistencies in how we approach nutrition and parenting.
While it’s reasonable to question the appropriateness of coffee for kids, it’s worth asking why other, more harmful products continue to escape similar scrutiny. The lessons from coffee-producing cultures suggest that coffee, when consumed thoughtfully, can be part of a balanced and socially meaningful upbringing.
The real challenge may lie in confronting the forces – be they cultural or corporate – that shape these debates in the first place.
Coffee Intelligence
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