There are many studies that have shown the beneficial effects of coffee on health, however, only some are so specific as to reveal the daily amount to be taken and the preparation or type to be used. New research has found that adults who drink two to three cups of instant, ground (cappuccino or filter coffee), or decaf coffee may live longer than those who don’t.
In addition to delaying death from any cause, the researchers found that drinking that amount and type of coffee was also associated with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease and death from this cause. Therefore, the authors emphasize that the light or moderate consumption of this very common drink could be within what is considered a healthy lifestyle.
The study, which is observational in nature and has been published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, the journal of the European Society of Cardiology, analyzed the coffee consumption of 449,563 people between the ages of 40 and 69 who did not have arrhythmias or cardiovascular disease previous. The participants filled out detailed questionnaires about their daily coffee intake and its characteristics, the follow-up time was 12.5 years.
Effects attributable to the more than 100 active components of coffee
The results of the research showed that all types of coffee were associated with a reduction in the risk of death from any cause, but the greatest reduction was obtained in the group that stated that they drink between two and three cups of this drink per day. Specifically, they were 27%, 14% and 11% less likely to die if they drank ground, decaffeinated or instant coffee, respectively, compared to those who did not drink coffee.
“Consumption of modest amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged, but can be enjoyed as a heart-healthy behavior”
Regarding cardiovascular diseases, the researchers observed that 9.6% of the participants had some of them during the time the study lasted. In addition, all types of coffee were associated with reduced cases of cardiovascular disease, but again the lowest risk was for those who drank between two and three cups of coffee a day. 20%, 9% and 6% less risk with decaf, ground and instant coffee respectively.
Finally, ground and instant coffee, but not decaf, were associated with a reduced risk of arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation. In this case, the lowest probability was found in drinkers of four to five cups a day of ground coffee and two to three cups a day of instant coffee, with a 17% and 12% risk reduction, respectively.
“Caffeine is the best known component of coffee, but the beverage contains more than 100 biologically active components. It is likely that non-caffeinated compounds were responsible for the observed positive relationships between coffee consumption, cardiovascular disease, and survival. Our findings indicate that the consumption of modest amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged, but can be enjoyed as a heart-healthy behavior”, explains Peter Kistler, lead author of the study.
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