Did Early Europeans Believe Coffee Kills Libido?

In 17th-century England, a widespread belief held that coffee could crush your sex drive — drink too much, and you might lose it entirely. This idea wasn’t fringe: it shaped how people viewed the new drink. So how did London’s first coffeehouse open around 1688, right in the middle of these fears? The answer reveals how coffee was seen not as a pleasure, but as a tool of control.

No, coffee does not suppress sexual desire. The 17th-century belief that it did was rooted in religious and cultural anxieties, not scientific fact. Despite claims that excessive coffee drinking could cause impotence, no evidence supports this, and coffeehouses continued to thrive.

The Puritanical View of Coffee and Desire

When Europeans first tried coffee in the early 1600s, some in Britain believed it curbed lust. This idea fit neatly with the values of ascetic monks and Protestant reformers, who saw the body as something to discipline. Max Weber noted in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism that Puritanism, especially among British Calvinist groups, treated desire with extreme caution — even within marriage, sex was for procreation, not pleasure. In this view, coffee’s ability to keep you alert and restrained seemed almost holy.

Beer vs. Coffee: A Battle of Substances

Back then, beer wasn’t just a drink — it was a staple. According to Cambridge University Press’s Food, Energy and Entertainment in English Agricultural History, by the late 1500s, male millworkers drank an average of 4 quarts (about 4.5 litres) of beer daily, while women drank half that. Beer was seen as nourishing, even necessary. Coffee, in contrast, offered no calories and wasn’t considered food. It could only catch on once people had enough to eat. Its early role? Helping drunk people sober up. As Sylvester Dufour wrote in the 1670s and 80s in The Manners of Drinking Tea, Coffee, and Chocolate, coffee first appeared on tables alongside wine and spirits — as a hangover cure. It marked the start of a new era, one where drinkers sought clarity over intoxication.

Why People Thought Coffee Killed Libido

The idea that coffee suppressed sexual urges likely came from simple mind-body dualism: the belief that the spirit should rule the flesh. Coffee, unlike beer — which had been the dominant drink for centuries — was seen as a cleaner, more intellectual beverage. Where beer was warm, hearty, and tied to physical pleasure, coffee was cool, sharp, and mental. That contrast made it easy to link coffee with self-control, and to fear (or praise) its ability to dull desire.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did 17th-century Europeans really think coffee reduced sex drive?

Yes. In 17th-century England, it was a common belief that drinking coffee could suppress sexual desire, and that overconsumption might even lead to impotence. This idea was especially popular among those who valued celibacy and self-discipline, including some religious groups.

Was coffee seen as a religious or moral drink back then?

Absolutely. Coffee was often associated with monks and Protestant values that emphasized restraint and the suppression of bodily desires. Its ability to keep drinkers awake and clear-headed fit the era’s ideals of self-control and spiritual focus.

Why did people drink beer instead of coffee before the 17th century?

Beer was a dietary staple in 16th- and early 17th-century Europe. Workers drank large quantities daily because it was seen as nourishing and filling. Coffee, with almost no calories, couldn’t replace food and only became popular as people’s diets improved and they sought a sober alternative.

What role did coffee play in changing drinking habits?

Coffee was first used as a hangover cure and a way to sober up. Over time, it helped shift European drinking culture away from alcohol-dominated meals toward beverages that offered clarity and alertness, marking a major change in social and culinary habits.

Is there any proof that coffee affects libido?

No. The 17th-century belief that coffee suppresses sexual desire was based on cultural and religious fears, not scientific evidence. Modern research does not support the idea that moderate coffee consumption reduces libido or causes impotence.

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