A recent study explored the link between consumers’ coffee habits and their risk of death.
The trial looked at different quantities of coffee, sugar, and fat and the ways that they impacted all-cause, cancer-related, and cardiovascular disease-related death risk.
Ultimately, two to three cups of black coffee proved to have the greatest protective health benefits.
A new study conducted by researchers from Tufts University may have many consumers changing their coffee orders.
According to their findings, drinking plain black coffee may be associated with a lower risk of death.
“Coffee is among the most-consumed beverages in the world, and with nearly half of American adults reporting drinking at least one cup per day, it’s important for us to know what it might mean for health,” Fang Fang Zhang, senior author of the study, said in a news release.
“The health benefits of coffee might be attributable to its bioactive compounds, but our results suggest that the addition of sugar and saturated fat may reduce the mortality benefits.”
The study
The researchers analyzed data from 46,000 adults aged 20 and older enrolled in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2018. That study was also linked with the National Death Index Mortality Study, which allowed the researchers to track the risk of death.
The team analyzed several factors:
Type of coffee: caffeinated or decaf
Sugar: Honey, syrup, or granulated sugar
Low added sugar: ½ teaspoon per 8 oz of coffee
Saturated Fat Content: Milk, cream, and half-and-half
Low fat content: 5 tablespoons of 2% milk, 1 tablespoon of light cream, or 1 tablespoon of half-and-half
Mortality outcomes: All-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular disease
The results
The study identified a link between coffee consumption and a lower risk of death.
Here’s a breakdown of the findings:
One cup of black coffee per day was linked with a 16% lower risk of all-cause mortality.
Two to three cups of black coffee per day was linked with a 17% lower risk of all-cause mortality.
One to two cups of coffee with low sugar and fat were linked with a 14% lower risk of all-cause mortality.
These findings didn’t hold up when participants exceeded the “low added sugar” and “low saturated fat” thresholds that were defined for the study.
No associations were found between drinking coffee and the risk of death from cancer.
Drinking more than three cups of coffee per day didn’t affect the risk of all-cause mortality; however, it did weaken the risk of death by cardiovascular disease.
“Few studies have examined how coffee additives could impact the link between coffee consumption and mortality risk, and our study is among the first to quantify how much sweetener and saturated fat are being added,” first author Bingjie Zhou, said in the news release.
“Our results align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans which recommend limiting added sugar and saturated fat.”