Dark vs. Medium Roast Coffee: Find Out Which Is Healthier—and Which One Has More Caffeine

I love the aroma and flavor of coffee. I love that it is the first thing waiting for me each morning after my alarm goes off. I love that I have something warm between my hands in the colder months, and something to swirl around clinking ice cubes in the warmer seasons. 

As much as I adore coffee, I’ve never thought about the type of roast that I drink. Should I be looking deeper into it? Would the type of roast I choose affect my health differently? Is dark or medium roast coffee better for me? I spoke with two registered dietitians, inviting them to weigh in on coffee’s proposed benefits and provide insight on whether there is any real merit in choosing coffee based the roast.

Which Is Better: Dark or Medium Roast Coffee?

In terms of caffeine content, the difference between dark and medium roast is negligible. If you enjoy both types of flavors and aromas, but are hoping to choose the one that has more antioxidants, go for the medium roast variety, says Shelley Balls, RD, registered dietitian at Flawless Bloom. While instant coffee is perfectly fine, Balls suggests using freshly ground coffee beans if you can, because they contain more antioxidants.

If you have acid reflux or want a richer tasting coffee, you might want to choose a dark roast coffee, because it is less acidic, Balls says.

Whichever roast your choose, look for coffee made from beans that are sourced ethically, says Hayley Miller, RD, registered dietitian and senior regulatory specialist at Physician’s Choice.

Benefits of Coffee

If you’re looking for a drink to help wake you up temporarily and have to choose between coffee or an energy drink, coffee is going to be the better option, says Miller. Coffee provides caffeine without the extra artificial ingredients that you find in energy beverages. Miller advises having coffee without adding copious amounts of processed ingredients like creamers and syrups. 

On top of helping you feel more alert and energized, coffee contains polyphenols, says Balls. These are natural compounds found in plants, which function as antioxidants. Polyphenols help to scavenge free radicals, compounds that are made in the body in response to natural bodily processes, plus environmental factors like alcohol and smoking. Too many free radicals in the body may increase your risk for developing chronic diseases.[1, 2]

However, both dietitians caution against using coffee as one of your primary sources of antioxidants. We want to moderate how much caffeine we take, because it can affect our sleep, says Balls. “It’s recommended to have no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, so you really should not be consuming more than three cups of coffee a day,” says Miller. This is in reference to a 12-ounce cup.

“While there are some antioxidants in coffee, I would never recommend it as a ‘health superfood’ to reach for if you need antioxidants in your diet,” says Miller. Instead of trying to hit a daily coffee goal, aim to include foods that are high in antioxidants every day. These include berries, whole grains, nuts, and other fruits and vegetables, says Balls.

What Is the Difference Between Dark and Medium Roast Coffee?

As coffee beans are roasted, their chemical composition, aroma, and flavor changes. To make dark roast coffee, the beans are roasted for a slightly longer time and at a higher temperature compared to medium roasted beans. The coffee turns out bearing a very dark brown color that edges close to black, and tastes robust, earthy, and a little bitter, says Miller. Its aroma is more toasty compared to a medium roast.

Medium roast coffee comes from beans which are roasted at a lower temperature and for a slightly shorter period compared to dark roast beans. This creates a coffee that tastes balanced, carrying bright notes while also having body. The coffee has a livelier aroma compared to dark roast.

The roasting process also “decreases the natural acid found in coffee beans,” Balls says. Because they are roasted longer, dark roast coffee beans end up becoming less acidic, says Balls.

Furthermore, “the longer roasting time pulls some of those antioxidants out of the coffee, so a medium roast is going to have more antioxidants than a dark roast has,” Balls explains.