- New research has found that drinking one to three cups of coffee a day has been linked to better heart health.
- Any benefits seem limited to caffeinated coffee; caffeine free has been linked to the risk of heart failure.
- One researcher noted that the link between coffee and heart health was not yet as clear as, for example, that of exercise.
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Science again supports the health benefits of your daily coffee solution.
Drinking at least one cup of coffee a day can reduce the risk of heart failure, with more coffee linked to even lower risk, according to research published Feb. 9 in Circulation: Heart Failure, a journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers looked at data from three studies, including 21,000 adult participants over at least ten years of follow-up. Data from two of the studies indicated that each cup of caffeinated coffee that participants drank per day was associated with a 5 to 12% lower risk of heart failure compared to participants who did not drink coffee. This was true up to three cups of coffee a day, the research found. The third study found a 30% lower risk of heart failure in those who drank at least two cups of coffee a day.
Coffee without coffee has not been linked to the same benefits, and one of the studies actually linked it to a higher risk of heart failure.
According to Dr. David Kao, an assistant professor of cardiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine who was a senior author of the study, suggests that caffeine will be at least partially responsible for any benefits to heart health. .
“The link between caffeine risk reduction and heart failure has been surprising,” Kao said in a press release. “Coffee and caffeine are often considered by the general population to be bad for the heart because people associate it with palpitations, high blood pressure, etc.”
Read more: Coffee drinkers have stronger legs than people who do not drink a daily brew, according to a new study
The research is not yet convincing enough to recommend that people who do not drink coffee should start based on the health benefits. The best advice is especially for heart health to exercise, maintain a healthy weight and avoid smoking, Kao said in the press release.
If you do drink coffee, black is best
It is not clear how much coffee can provide optimal health benefits – one limitation of this research is that it depends on self-reported data, without any clear definition of how much coffee people consume per cup. Researchers also did not collect data on the coffee-brewing method; previous research has found that methods such as filter making can be healthier than preparations on the stove or in the French press.
What we do know is that many of the apparent benefits of coffee are related to drinking it. Coffee in the form of sugary drinks or rich lattes is often loaded with sugar and saturated fat. These additives can increase the risk of heart disease, which reduces the benefits of coffee.
“The bottom line: enjoy coffee in moderation as part of an overall heart-healthy diet that meets the recommendations for fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat or non-fat dairy products, and also low-sodium, saturated fat, and sugars. added, “said Penny Kris-Etherton, a professor of nutrition at Pennsylvania State University who was not involved in the study, in the press release.
Coffee is associated with health benefits such as longer life and better health as you get older
This study contributes to an increasing body of evidence that drinking coffee regularly can improve heart health and ward off premature death. It can also help promote weight loss, cognitive decline as we age, and provide some protection against other chronic diseases such as liver disease and various types of cancer.
In addition to caffeine, coffee also contains beneficial plant compounds called polyphenols, which have been linked to antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects.
Previous studies have shown that coffee is safe and that it does not have long-term side effects, especially if you drink less than five cups a day.