Drinking Two to Three Cups of Coffee Every Day Could Help You Live Longer, New Study Finds
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Good news for coffee lovers: Your favorite caffeine fix may also promote longevity. According to a new study by researchers in the United Kingdom, drinking two to three cups of coffee each day could lessen your chances of developing cardiovascular disease. In turn, you could be adding years to your life.
"Because coffee can quicken heart rate, some people worry that drinking it could trigger or worsen certain heart issues," said senior author Professor Peter Kistler of the Baker Heart Institute in Melbourne, Australia, in a media release. "This is where general medical advice to stop drinking coffee may come from. But our data suggest that daily coffee intake shouldn't be discouraged, but rather included as a part of a healthy diet for people with and without heart disease."
To conduct the study, researchers tracked over 400,000 people from the United Kingdom for at least a decade and found that "coffee drinking had either a neutral effect—meaning that it did no harm—or was associated with benefits to heart health." The study participants who drank two or three cups of coffee each day benefited the most, with a 10 to 15 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease, heart failure, heart rhythm problems, or early death.
"Coffee drinkers should feel reassured that they can continue to enjoy coffee even if they have heart disease," the study authors said. "Coffee is the most common cognitive enhancer—it wakes you up, makes you mentally sharper and it's a very important component of many people's daily lives."
Additionally, researchers point out that coffee beans have more than 100 healthy plant chemicals that decrease oxidative stress and inflammation while also boosting insulin sensitivity and metabolism—so your morning cup of java has other benefits, too. However, they note that you shouldn't drink coffee if it makes you feel anxious.
