Drinking two to three cups of coffee a day is linked to a longer life and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, according to a new Australian scientific study.
The benefit applies to all types of coffee, as well as caffeinated or non-caffeinated.
The researchers, led by Professor Peter Kistler of the University of Melbourne School of Medicine and the Research Institute Baker Heart & Diabeteswho made the relevant publication in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology of the European Society of Cardiologyanalyzed data from almost 450,000 people with an average age of 58 years.
What the coffee study showed
The participants, who were followed for about 12 years, during which 27,809 (6.2%) died, while 43,173 (9.6%) were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease and 30,100 (6.7%) with arrhythmia, provided information detailed information on whether they drank coffee, what kind, and how often.
Most drank ground coffee (44%), while 18% drank instant and 15% decaf, while 22% (the control group) drank no coffee at all.
Found that those who drank two to three cups of coffee a day had the greatest reduction in risk of premature death from any cause, compared to those who drank no coffee at all: 27%, 14%, and 11% lower risk of death for those who drank ground, decaf, and instant coffee, respectively.
Coffee significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease
In terms of the probability of cardiovascular disease, all types of coffee led to a reduction in relative riskagain with the lowest risk associated with drinking two or three coffees per day: the reduction in the likelihood of cardiovascular disease was 20% for ground coffee, 9% instant and 6% decaf.
Finally, regarding the diagnosis of cardiac arrhythmia, caffeinated coffee, but not decaffeinated coffee, was associated with a reduced risk. The lowest risk, at 17% and 12% respectively, was for those who drank four to five ground coffees and two to three instant coffees.
Caffeine is the best known component of coffee, but it also contains more than 100 biologically active substances. “Our findings suggest that the consumption of moderate amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged, but can be enjoyed as a heart-healthy behavior.”said Dr. Kistler.