Drinking Coffee Apparently Lowers Our Risk of Dying, According to This Study
Yes, coffee can give you the jitters, insomnia, and an upset stomach from time to time, but we should also point out that it can have some wondrous effects. A recent report says that coffee consumption can actually help save us from an early death. Cool, right?
A study published in The Annals of Internal Medicine found that those who consumed 1.5 to 3.5 cups of coffee a day were up to 30 percent less likely to die during the study period compared to those who didn't drink coffee at all. That goes for those who add a teaspoon of sugar.
Those who drank unsweetened coffee, on the other hand, were 16 to 21 percent less likely to die during the period. The study also revealed that people who drank three cups a day had the lowest risk of mortality among the subjects. For the research, the coffee consumption data was collected from the U.K. Biobank and sampled roughly 170,000 participants between the ages of 37 and 73.
There was about four to five grams of sugar per cup, as well, which is about more than a teaspoon. Before we get any ideas about ordering another round of our Starbucks favorites, there are some other factors we should keep in mind.
Four to five grams of sugar per cup is lower than what we usually get from coffee shops. A tall Caramel Macchiato order at Starbucks, for instance, already has 25 grams of sugar in it. The American Heart Association suggests that adult women and men should limit their daily sugar intake to just 24 grams and 36 grams, respectively.
Nevertheless, this particular paper is still only an observational study. There will always be other lifestyle factors involved, of course, like a person's diet or exercise regimen, as experts have noted. But we can't deny previous studies about coffee consumption, too. Increasing coffee intake can give us a lower risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, liver cancer, and more based on similar reports. Yes, coffee is power.
How far can coffee take humanity? We'll know more in the future. Hey, at least we have another reason to justify that next cup. Just remember to lay off those extra teaspoons of sugar.
