Coffee is one of the most popular beverages globally. Millions of people across the world swear by a cup of coffee in the morning to start their day, wake them up, and energise them from within. Since coffee makes us feel active due to the presence of caffeine, it has become common to consume coffee unlimitedly. Excess coffee consumption has, however, also received its share of a bad rap. Health experts have often highlighted the negative effects of over-consumption of coffee. Consuming coffee in moderation, however, is said to actually help improve heart health. New studies are coming up to suggest that your daily coffee intake may actually have a positive effect on heart health.
The studies were presented in the American College of Cardiology's 71st Annual Scientific Session. The research was conducted by using data from the UK BioBank, with information from half a million people tracked over a span of 10 years. Researchers have found that drinking coffee daily is not only associated with a lower risk of heart disease but also with a longer lifespan. Further, these trends hold true for people with and without cardiovascular disease. Apart from caffeine, coffee also contains other bio-active compounds that reduce inflammation, boost insulin sensitivity and metabolism. This provides reassurance that coffee is not tied to heart disease and may actually prove to be beneficial.
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Daily intake of coffee is associated with benefits for the heart.
Peter M. Kistler, MD, the study's senior author and head of arrhythmia research at the Alfred Hospital and Baker Heart Institute in Melbourne, Australia said that coffee drinking either had a neutral effect or could provide benefits for heart health. This is contrary to popular belief and advice shared today about coffee consumption. "Because coffee can quicken heart rate, some people worry that drinking it could trigger or worsen certain heart issues. This is where general medical advice to stop drinking coffee may come from. But our data suggest that daily coffee intake shouldn't be discouraged, but rather included as a part of a healthy diet for people with and without heart disease," said Kistler in a statement.
So how many cups of coffee are ideally to be consumed in a day? The study suggests that having two to three cups of coffee a day was associated with the greatest benefits. It meant a 10%-15% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, heart failure, a heart rhythm problem, or dying for any reason. The study found that the risk was lowest among people who consumed just one cup of coffee a day. However, the lead author Kistler advises people not to increase their coffee consumption if it made them anxious or uncomfortable.
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