Three coffees a day cuts risk of an early death, study finds (and it does NOT have to be decaf)

Forget what you were told – drinking two cups of coffee every day may not be bad for your health.

In fact, scientists are now recommending it.

Research shows that coffee lovers generally live longer and have a healthier heart than peers who do not enjoy a cup of coffee every day.

And experts said the benefits extend to all types of coffee, meaning it’s not just decaffeinated drinkers who benefit from the purported effects.

The Australian researchers behind the study say their findings suggest that a moderate coffee habit can be considered “part of a healthy diet.”

Two to three cups of coffee – the recommended amount – is equivalent to what the average British and American drink.

The researchers, based at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Research Institute in Melbourne, said there is little information about how each type of coffee affects heart health and survival.

To get to the bottom of this, they examined data from 449,563 people who were part of the UK Biobank.

The huge database contains the health data of half a million Britons, who are regularly questioned about their lifestyle.

Participants, who were between the ages of 40 and 69, completed questionnaires about how many cups they drank per day and whether they chose instant, ground, or decaf.

The findings, published in the European Journal of Preventive CardiologyShow 44 percent drank instant, 18 percent ground and 15 percent decaf.

Just over a fifth did not drink coffee.

Over the course of the 13-year study, nearly 28,000 participants died.

About 43,000 developed cardiovascular disease and 30,000 were diagnosed with arrhythmia – an irregular heartbeat.

All types of coffee were associated with a reduction in premature death from all causes, with two to three cups a day having the lowest risk.

Those who drank that much ground coffee were 27 percent less likely to die early than non-coffee drinkers.

Meanwhile, decaf fans had a 14 percent lower risk, and instant was linked to an 11 percent drop.

And all those who drank coffee had a reduced risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

The sweet spot was again two to three mugs, which was associated with a fifth lower risk among ground coffee drinkers, a nine percent decrease among instant coffee fans and a six percent reduced risk among those who drank decaf.

Coffee beans contain more than 100 biologically active compounds that are ‘probably’ behind the findings.

Some have been shown to reduce inflammation, while others improve insulin sensitivity and boost metabolism.

Caffeine can be ruled out as the sole driver of its health benefits, due to its decaffeinated coffee results.

Professor Peter Kistler, cardiologist and lead author, said: ‘The results suggest that a mild to moderate intake of ground coffee, instant coffee and decaffeinated coffee should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle.’

The researchers noted that the coffee intake data was self-reported and believed to remain the same throughout the study, so may be inaccurate.

dr. Duane Mellor, a dietitian at Aston Medical School in Birmingham who was not involved in the study, said the study does not show the health benefits of coffee.

He noted that studies have shown that both drinking coffee and tea reduces the risk of heart problems and meeting an early grave. This suggests that it may not be the drinks themselves that are behind the health benefits, but behaviors associated with drinking coffee and tea, Dr. Mellor said.

He added: ‘It is important that a simple cup of coffee, perhaps with a little milk, is very different from a large latte flavored with a syrup and added cream.

“So moderate coffee consumption may be associated with a lower risk of heart disease, but it’s how it’s consumed that matters.”

‘So ideally without added sugars and other high-calorie extras. And think carefully about any snacks like cake and cookies that might tempt you with your coffee.’

Doctors warn that drinking excessive amounts of coffee can damage the heart.

In addition, too much coffee can lead to dehydration, as it causes the body to urinate more often. It can also damage teeth if loaded with flavored syrups and sugar.

However, dozens of studies have shown the benefits of drinking a few cups a day.

Previous research shows that the drink may reduce the risk of heart disease, heart failure, and stroke, and prolong life.

Experts believe a mechanism behind the findings is that caffeine stimulates the process important for repairing heart cells.