While this isn’t entirely news to us, a recent ‘umbrella review’ of 201 different studies has shown that consuming about three or four cups of coffee a day is linked to health risk reduction.
The review, which was published in the British Medical Journal, looked at the observational research from the 201 meta-analyses and found that the likelihood of cardiovascular disease and death due to cardiovascular issues was reduced when people had three or four cups of joe a day.
Having a couple cups a day was also linked to a lower risk of several different cancers, including prostate cancer, melanoma, and liver cancer. Coffee consumption was associated with a lower likelihood of developing depression, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease as well.
Of course, the review also found that high coffee consumption while pregnant was associated with low birth weight, premature birth, and pregnancy loss. The researchers also recommended that women prone to fractures may want to avoid consuming coffee.
So, skip the cup of joe if you’re pregnant and drink away if not!
The experts who conducted the review also recommend further research to find out if the three to four cups of coffee today are causing or merely associated with these improved health outcomes.
They suspect that perhaps the ‘complex mixture of over 1,000 bioactive compounds’ found in roasted coffee contains may be the culprit for these excellent results. These compounds may have ‘potentially therapeutic antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic, or anticancer effects’.
The study’s authors also stated that people should consume coffee in moderation, saying, “Some people may be at higher risk of adverse effects and there is ‘substantial uncertainty’ about the effects of higher levels of intake. Finally, coffee is often consumed with products rich in refined sugars and unhealthy fats, and these may independently contribute to adverse health outcomes.”
What do you think, mums? Are you going to be an Americano fiend now?
