Drink coffee. Live longer.
As a lifelong coffee drinker I’m always watching out for research that justifies my caffeine habit. A recently published study looked at how coffee consumption influenced the health of around half a million people in the UK over a period of 12 years.
The results were quite striking, showing that people who habitually drank coffee had lower rates of heart arrhythmias (irregular heart beats) and cardiovascular disease and were even 27% less likely to die! Interestingly, most of these benefits applied to drinking ground, instant and even decaffeinated coffee.
Which type of coffee is best?
Heart arrhythmias - Ground coffee was the most protective, followed by instant coffee. Decaffeinated coffee had no positive effect.
Cardiovascular Disease - Ground coffee was the most protective, followed by instant coffee, and then decaffeinated.
Risk of dying (mortality) - Ground coffee was the most protective, followed by instant coffee, and then decaffeinated.
The study results are summarised in the table below. The different types of coffee are represented by the different coloured lines. The lower the line goes, the more beneficial the type of coffee is.
How much coffee should you drink?
The study showed that the best reduction in mortality and cardiovascular disease was achieved by drinking 2 or 3 coffees a day, with ground coffee being the best type. For reducing arrhythmias, 4-5 cups a day was actually best.
Is coffee good for everyone?
Whilst studies like this are encouraging for coffee drinkers, it has to be recognised that not everyone reacts well to coffee, and there are some recognised drawbacks to drinking it. The number one issue for me is that drinking too much coffee can lead to sleep disruption. I combat this by not drinking coffee after midday, giving my body ample chance to clear the caffeine from my system before bed.
If you are looking for an Osteopath in East Grinstead, please get in touch with:
Cliff Russell, Registered Osteopath
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