Coffee has been one of the most controversial subjects when it comes to health. While many report mainly on its disadvantages and how it can be bad for you on a long-term basis, a new report confirms that it does deliver some benefits too.
As it turns out, coffee drinkers are less likely to die from certain diseases. People who drink three to five cups of coffee on a daily basis are less likely to succumb to premature death from heart disease, suicide, diabetes, or Parkinson's disease, as reported by United States researchers. According to ABS-CBN News:
"Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee were shown to have benefits, said the study by researchers at the Harvard University Chan School of Public Health published in the November 16 edition of the journal Circulation."
The study made comparisons between people who don't drink coffee or those who drank less than two cups per day, and to individuals who consumed "moderate" amounts of coffee, or up to five cups per day.
Although the study wasn't able to prove a cause-and-effect for coffee, nor did it prove the reduced likelihood of certain diseases, the researchers were able to find a connection that supports previous research.
"Bioactive compounds in coffee reduce insulin resistance and systematic inflammation," said Ming Ding, the first author of the study and a doctoral student in the Department of Nutrition.
Ding added, "That could explain some of our findings. However, more studies are needed to investigate the biological mechanisms producing these effects."
The study was founded on data obtained from three large ongoing surveys. Some even included 300,000 nurses and other health professionals who answered questionnaires regarding their medical conditions and habits at regular intervals spanning thirty years.
The findings suggest: "In the whole study population, moderate coffee consumption was associated with reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, and suicide."
However, since the study is based on surveys, its reliability could further be questioned.
