Drinking coffee has long been a part of many people's lives due to its role in improving mood, but new research has presented results indicating that consuming two to three cups daily has numerous health benefits. The study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, focused on ground, instant, and caffeine-free coffee, and the researchers suggested that coffee consumption should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle that prolongs life.
Compared to those who do not drink coffee at all, the researchers found that consuming it leads to a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. According to British Sky News, study author Peter Kistler from the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Australia stated, "In this large observational study, decaffeinated instant coffee was associated with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease and related mortality."
He added, "The results suggest that consuming a moderate amount of ground, instant, and decaffeinated coffee should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle." Kistler explained, "Caffeine is the most renowned component of coffee, but the beverage contains over 100 biologically active compounds." He noted, "It is likely that the non-caffeine compounds were responsible for the positive associations observed between coffee drinking and cardiovascular disease as well as survival."
He concluded, "Our findings suggest that drinking modest amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged but enjoyed as a heart-healthy behavior." Approximately 449,563 people completed a questionnaire asking how many cups of coffee they drink daily and whether they usually consume instant, ground, or decaffeinated coffee. They were categorized into six groups consisting of non-drinkers, those who drink less than one cup, one cup only, two to three cups, four to five cups, and more than five cups a day.
A correlation was observed between all types of coffee and a reduction in cardiovascular diseases and the mortality associated with them.
