Coffee May Provide Cardiovascular Benefits

Coffee is one of the most highly consumed beverages in the world, and it is very high in polyphenols. A recent study suggests that consuming up to 3 cups of coffee per day may provide cardiovascular health benefits.

Participants in the study included 468,629 adults who are part of the UK Biobank database. None had heart disease when they became part of the database. They were categorized as non-coffee drinkers, light to moderate drinkers (0.5 to 3 cups per day), and heavy drinkers (more than 3 cups per day). Participants were followed for an average of 11 years and all cardiovascular deaths, stroke incidences, and death by any cause were recorded.

Participants who drank 0.5 to 3 cups of coffee daily were found to have a 17% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease compared to those who never drank coffee. They were also found to have a 21% lower risk of stroke and a 12% lower risk of death by any cause.

In addition, 30,650 participants were given cardiovascular MRI’s. The MRI’s were used to evaluate the long-term effect of regular coffee consumption on the structure and function of the heart. The researchers found that participants who were light to moderate or heavy drinkers of coffee had significantly lower Arterial Index Stiffness.

The study was conducted by researchers from Semmelweis University. It was published online ahead of print on January 20, 2022, in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.

According to a previous study, coffee may also help reduce the risk of dementia.