Lower risk of death from drinking coffee

People who drink a few cups of coffee a day have a lower chance of dying . That is the conclusion of a study published in the scientific journal The Annals of Internal Medicine. This new research, reported by The New York Times, is good news for coffee lovers ! But… there is a warning that with more than 4.5 cups of coffee per day, the positive effect disappears. More than seven cups of coffee a day is harmful to you.

The study tracked the health records of 170,000 people in Britain aged 37 to 73 over a seven-year period. They were also asked about dietary patterns and therefore also the consumption of coffee.

People in the study group who drank 1.5 to 3.5 cups of coffee a day had a 30 percent lower risk of dying in the study period than people who did not drink coffee. Coffee with sugar even has a positive influence, because then the risk of death is sixteen to twenty-one percent lower than the research group that did not drink coffee. It doesn't matter whether you drink decaffeinated coffee or coffee with caffeine. However, other factors also contribute to the lower risk of death, such as regular exercise or eating patterns.

Coffee drinkers may make healthier choices in general, so there may be other factors at play as well. For example, they may opt for a cup of coffee or a glass of water more often than for an unhealthy soft drink, juice or energy drink. In addition, of course, the lower risk does not apply to drinking a latte , a frappuccino or anything else you can get at coffee chains. These drinks are often high in calories and fat, negating the positive effects of coffee.

This new research fits in with a series of recent research findings that show a positive association of coffee with health . For example, previous studies have shown that coffee consumption reduces the risk of developing Parkinson's disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, liver and prostate cancer, and other health problems. Scientists don't yet know exactly what makes coffee so beneficial, but the presence of large amounts of antioxidants in coffee beans seems to have something to do with it. These antioxidants ensure that cells break down less quickly. Researcher Wee advises that people who don't drink coffee should not suddenly do so now. More data is needed for that, she says.