Can Coffee Cause Cancer?

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A judge in California rules coffee companies must carry a new warning label for cancer.

The ruling will require coffee roasters, distributors, and retailers include a label on their products that coffee can cause cancer.

California has a state law that requires warnings on a range of chemicals linked to causing cancer. One of those chemicals is acrylamide. Acrylamide is produced in the coffee bean roasting process and can be found in coffee.

The National Coffee Association says the lawsuit can confuse consumers because the link between acrylamide and cancer is still theoretical. The Association says more research is needed.

Meanwhile, there are studies that suggest coffee may lower the risk of diabetes and liver disease.

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