Why Can’t Mormons Drink Coffee?

Drinking coffee has been, and continues to be, an enjoyable morning ritual for many people around the globe. However, this isn’t the case for every single person or group. Some abstain from coffee due to religious restrictions. Mormons, or followers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), are one such group.

In this article, we take a closer look into understanding why can’t Mormons drink coffee.

What Does Being A Mormon Mean?

Being a Mormon means belonging to a religious group that accepts the beliefs and practices of a combination of Christianity’s guiding principles and the revelations of their founder Joseph Smith (1). In 1833, a section of the Doctrine and Covenants in a sacred text of the LDS outlined the “Word of Wisdom” (2).

The Word of Wisdom denotes a Law of Health from the Mormons’ Lord to follow for the sake of bettering one’s own spiritual and physical health.

This involves abiding by a code that dictates whether certain foods or substances are acceptable to consume for “the body or belly” (2).

And all saints who remember to keep and do these sayings, walking in obedience to the commandments, shall receive health in their navel and marrow to their bones.

Doctrine and Covenants 89, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

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Can Mormons Drink Coffee?

No, Mormons can’t drink coffee. Although coffee was never explicitly mentioned in the Law of Health, avoiding “hot drinks” was later clarified to entail both coffee and tea. The focus instead is to enjoy foods and beverages that have been deemed acceptable to consume due to them having sustained human life throughout recorded history.

Furthermore, “hot drinks” are explained to be neither “for the body or belly,” so there is no benefit to enjoying coffee drinks because it often results in the formation of a habit, which Mormons are keen to avoid (2).

Do Mormons Drink Coffee?

Most Mormons do not drink coffee. But the percentage of those that do is increasing as adherence to the Word of Wisdom lessens. Less than half of all Mormons surveyed in the U.S. in 2016 reported having faithfully abstained from everything prohibited by the Word of Wisdom, including coffee, within the last six months (3).

Individual beliefs, opinions, and practices vary widely when it comes to acceptable attitudes towards coffee consumption among even the most faithful and active Mormons. Contemporary Mormons seem more accepting of coffee and its origins, with 1 in 4 admitting to recently enjoying coffee, tea, and even alcohol (3).

Final Thoughts

The reason why Mormons can’t drink coffee is because of their religious observance. They adhere to the Word of Wisdom that outlines avoiding certain substances, such as coffee, to better their spiritual and physical development and maintenance. However, as times change, so do its people, and coffee is now slowly seeping into the lives of faithful Mormons.