You heard that right, Starbucks lovers!
According to two different studies – one from the US and one from Europe – drinking anywhere from one to three cups of coffee a day has been linked to a lower risk of death from any cause.
“From any cause”!
And in taking a closer look, coffee drinking may reduce the risk of death from diseases related to circulation and digestion, specifically.
Furthermore, scientists believe that the antioxidant plant compounds found in coffee, rather than the caffeine itself, are responsible for its potentially life-extending effect.
As if we needed another reason to load up on that sweet black nectar that brings us to life.
So let’s dive into the findings, just so we can sound super smart the next time someone gives us any crap about our coffee addiction.
Researchers from Imperial College London and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) analyzed data on the health and coffee-drinking habits of over half a million people in Europe – and found men who drank at least three cups of coffee a day were 18% less likely to die from any cause versus non-coffee drinkers; they found women were 8% less likely.
And across the pond in good ol’ USofA, scientists conducted a separate study into the effect of coffee on the health of over 185,000 individuals: Those who drank one cup of coffee daily were 12% less likely to die than those who abstained, and those who drank 2-3 cups of joe were 18% less likely.
And while everyone agrees that further research needs to happen to prove that the conclusions on the positive effects were based on the coffee itself, and not other factors – it’s nonetheless a promising study, especially since coffee is such a staple in not just the American diet, but worldwide.
In fact, 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed globally – DAILY.
David Spiegelhalter, at Cambridge University, said it best:
“…an extra cup of coffee every day would on average extend the life of a man by around three months, and a woman by around a month…[or] around nine minutes on a man’s life, and around three minutes on a woman’s.”
So fire up the espresso machine, pool together all your coffee house gift cards – your body demands it.
Bottoms up!
**These are merely study results. Obviously if you are sensitive to caffeine or coffee, don’t drink it just because of this study! This article is not intended to serve as or replace any medical advice received from your doctors.
