Starbucks Frappuccino (Photo : Reuters/Andrew Chifari)
A new study provides more evidence that coffee can provide several health benefits, including a lower risk of dying from certain diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The most benefits seem to be from drinking moderate amounts of the beverage (three to five cups of Joe), while even decaffeinated coffee can help latte, cappuccino, and mocha drinkers to live a longer life.
The lead author of the Harvard University study was Frank Hu. It was published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.
The research revealed that smoking-caused damage cannot be canceled out by heavy coffee drinking. However, it can lower the risk of mortality and the odds of dying from diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Hu's team examined two sources of data for their study. They included surveys of over 200,000 doctors and nurses who updated researchers about their lifestyle habits for over two decades.
Coffee drinkers had a lower risk of dying than non-drinkers over the decades. In addition, non-smoking café consumers had 8 to 15 percent lower mortality rates based on how much of the beverage they drank, according to NBC News.
However, the link between coffee bean drinks and living longer was not clear. For example, people who were heavier java drinkers also were more likely to eat red meat, drink alcohol, and smoke tobacco products.
In addition, the researchers did not report the types of coffee people drank. That could include cups full of black coffee; blends with milk, cream, or sugar; or large Starbucks Grande Lattes with shots of espresso and vanilla syrup.
Hu explained that his research team's study was different from most coffee studies because it showed the beverage with and without caffeine provided a lower risk of mortality. This could be due to the natural chemical compounds found in the coffee beans, according to WIBW.
Nonetheless, some experts have noted that the research was an observational study. It was based on self-reported data and showed no cause-effect relationship.
The world record for the biggest cup of coffee was 14,228 liters (3,759 gallons). It was made by Caffee Bene in Yangju, South Korea in July 2014.
Here are some of the main benefits of drinking coffee:
