Drinking coffee may add years to life

Drinking a cup of coffee can do more than perk you up in the morning. It just might help you live a longer, healthier life. Researchers have found a strong association between coffee consumption and a lower risk of dying from diabetes, heart disease, respiratory disease, and other conditions, reports the September 2012 Harvard Health Letter.

A study of more than 400,000 older men and women found that drinking two or more cups of coffee each day equated to a 10% reduction in deaths from all causes for men and a 15% reduction for women, when compared to people who didn’t drink coffee. It’s possible that certain compounds in coffee may have multiple health benefits. For example, the compound chlorogenic acid functions as an antioxidant, which helps fight against cell injury.

“I think the evidence that coffee is a healthy beverage is pretty substantial now; it seems to be beneficial across the board,” says Dr. Eric Rimm, associate professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Source: Harvard Health Publications

Category: Wellness and Complementary Therapies