New research says coffee lovers tend to live longer

Can't go a day without coffee?

New research found that people who drink more than one cup of coffee per day appear to have a longer life span and show a lower risk of cardiovascular disease than those who don't.

In a recent study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, the researchers looked into the effects of age, sex, ethnicity, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, sleep apnea, smoking level, alcohol, and tea consumption of the participants. The findings revealed a lower mortality rate for coffee drinkers compared to those who didn’t drink coffee at all. 

According to Science Alert, electrophysiologist Peter Kistler of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Australia said that different types of coffee such as ground, instant, and decaffeinated were most likely to reduce the incidents of cardiovascular illness and death from it or any cause. The results also suggest that mild to moderate intake of coffee should be considered part of a healthy diet. 

While the study doesn't assert that drinking too much coffee adds years to one's life, it's still an interesting issue that future scientists might be keen to explore further.  

"Caffeine is the most well-known constituent in coffee, but the beverage contains more than 100 biologically active components. It is likely that the non-caffeinated compounds were responsible for the positive relationships observed between coffee drinking, cardiovascular disease, and survival," Kistler explained. 

"Our findings indicate that drinking modest amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged but can be enjoyed as a heart-healthy behavior," he added.  

It's worth noting that the study covered most of the database records of Caucasians, so it is not advisable to generalize the findings across a more ethnically diverse population. Studies linking brain damage and increased risk of dementia with daily consumption of about six or more cups of coffee should likewise be examined.