There are lots of reasons why coffee is good for you — five of which we’ve delved into. Perhaps you drink one (or two, or three, or four) of the 2.25 billion cups of coffee consumed daily across the globe. Hopefully, you supplement it with some energy-boosting food.
The latest two coffee-related studies to come out suggest that coffee does have an impact on your heart health — well, kind of. Let’s dive into it.
The first study, published in the journal Circulation: Heart Failure, found that higher coffee intake was found to be associated with a reduced risk of heart failure. Oh, marital status, red meat intake, and whole milk intake were all risk factors.
However, reduced risk of heart failure — by as much as 30% — was only if people drank two to three coffees a day. A cup or less made no difference; decaffeinated, the same.
The second study found something completely different. Published in Clinical Nutrition journal, it reported that long-term heavy coffee consumptions may lead to “unfavourable lipid profile” which in turn could adversely affect individuals’ cardiovascular disease risk. Essentially, it ups “bad” cholesterol found in our blood; in turn, there’s too much fat in the blood.
And with that, comes a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease. For those who drink six or more cups of coffee a day, their risk of cardiovascular disease went up by 23%.
So with two supposedly contradictory studies, what is a coffee lover to do? Well, firstly, those with concerns about heart health should stick to coffee that doesn’t contain cafestal (the thing that raises bad cholesterol). Aim for espresso, instant coffee and coffee made using filter papers.
The other thing to do? Well, just drink coffee in moderation. Within that, make sure coffee consumption is in the context of a healthy diet — like the Mediterranean diet. Oh, and please listen to your body. If you’re jittery or shaking from too much coffee…please, swap to water.
Read more stories from The Latch and subscribe to our email newsletter.