A coffee a day linked to reduced risk of death
Good news for coffee drinkers! A new study suggests your cup-a-day habit might be reaping some health benefits.
A study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation has found that participants with moderate coffee consumption experienced a lower risk of deaths from cardiovascular disease, neurological diseases and Type 2 diabetes.
Moderate coffee consumption was classed as less than five cups per day. Researchers said that the benefits applied regardless of whether the hot drink was caffeinated or decaffeinated, suggesting that caffeine isn’t causing the health benefits.
While scientists are still not sure what the active ingredient is that reduces the risk of death and disease, they suspect it has something to do with the natural beans.
"Bioactive compounds in coffee reduce insulin resistance and systematic inflammation," said Harvard study author Ming Ding. “They might be responsible for the inverse association between coffee and mortality. However, more studies are needed to investigate the biological mechanisms producing these effects."
Researchers came to this conclusion thanks to data from three major ongoing health studies. There were over 200,000 participants involved.
The verdict: you don’t need to feel so guilty about your cup-a-day habit. "Regular consumption of coffee can be included as part of a healthy, balanced diet," says fellow study author Frank Hu. "However, certain populations such as pregnant women and children should be cautious about high caffeine intake from coffee or other beverages."
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