Are you addicted to coffee? Then you may have a reason to celebrate. A long-term international study suggests that enjoying a cup of coffee is good for your health. And several cups are even better.
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This is the kind of research that will definitely find its fans. Coffee - the black liquid stuff that was once said to be harmful to your health - may actually prolong your life.
Two long-term studies with a total of 700,000 participants show that coffee-drinkers have a lower risk of dying from multiple causes, in particular from circulatory and gastrointestinal diseases.
According to a study by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and Imperial College London, the health benefit can be observed across ten European countries with variable coffee drinking habits, from espresso sipping in Italy to cappuccino quaffing in the UK.
The researchers used data from the EPIC study (European Prospective Investigation on Cancer and Nutrition), analyzing data from over 500,000 people from ten European countries.
In all four groups, coffee showed a health benefit. People who consumed a cup of coffee a day had a 12 percent health improvement over non-coffee drinkers. Meanwhile the USC study suggests people who drink two to three cups a day "reduce the risk of death" from one of the common diseases by 18 percent.
"If you like to drink coffee, drink up. If you are not a coffee drinker, then you need to consider if you should start," says Veronica Setiawan an associate professor of preventive medicine at the University of Southern California.
Both studies were published on Monday (10.07.2017) in the journal "Annals of Internal Medicine."
Now we can enjoy a cup of coffee without a bad conscienceImage: Colourbox/ Phanuwat Nandee
With or without caffeine
Drinking three or more cups of coffee per day seems to have the most health benefits.
Both studies suggest it doesn't matter how you drink your coffee - or whether it is decaffeinated.
Coffee is a mixture of about 1000 chemical compounds. Beside caffeine it contains polyphenols and other bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties that are good for our bodies.
"A protective effect of coffee is biologically plausible," write the editors of the "Annals of Internal Medicine" in their editorial.
Researchers at Imperial College London found that coffee drinkers have healthier livers and better immune responses.
However, the researchers still don't know exactly which substances in coffee cause those effects.
No guarantee
So is it really true that for every cup of coffee you drink during the day you will live two years longer? Unfortunately, no, it doesn't work that way.
It is all about statistics - and there is no guarantee that coffee will do for you what it does for your neighbor.
All that the researchers did was look at several hundred thousand coffee drinkers, and non-coffee drinkers, over a period of 16 years, and record who died at which age from which cause.
Statistical analysis allows scientists to say whether something has a health benefit, like working out regularly, or whether it is more likely to kill you, like smoking. But it's still only a guide to the highest probabilities as understood at the time of the research.
"Due to the limitations of observational research, we are not at the stage of recommending people to drink more or less coffee," says Marc Gunter of the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
"That said, our results suggest that moderate coffee drinking is not detrimental to your health, and that incorporating coffee into your diet could have health benefits," he says.
There's a high probability that lots of coffee addicts will now fill up their mugs one more time - without feeling guilty.
Our perception of food keeps changing. Foods can be damned as bad one day and hailed as life-prolonging the next. Or vice versa. Here's a look at some dos, don'ts, and maybes …
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Poison or potion?
"Coffee causes cancer," or "coffee is bad for your nerves" are a few of the things people used to say about coffee: it is bad for you. But today researchers say coffee is better than its reputation - it may even lower your risk of cancer.
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In vino complexity
Alcohol is bad for your health. But red wine also contains magic molecules like resveratrol, and anthocyanins. So drink it or leave it? Long-term epidemiological studies suggest for women, one drink per day is beneficial (two for men). Then again, a long-term statistical review from the US showed teetotallers die earlier than moderate-to-heavy drinkers. So maybe it's good for you after all?
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Butter versus margarine
Years ago, we were told to avoid butter and eat only margarine. The imitation butter spread contains less saturated fatty acids than standard, milk-derived butter. But now people warn margarine is an unnatural product full of chemistry, merged into a product by the food industry.
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A natural enemy
When people used to die of heart disease or stroke, it was often blamed on cholesterol. As cholesterol blocks blood vessels, doctors said it had to be avoided at all costs. Especially dangerous foods were eggs, cheese and meat. But the body needs some cholesterol and even produces it itself. Now, the fatty biomolecule is seen as less of a villain. But just don't overdo it.
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Frozen arguments
Many people avoid eating frozen vegetables. They believe frozen vegetables hold fewer vitamins than fresh vegetables. But the frozen vegetables contain more nutrients because they are frozen directly after harvest, and do not lie around for days on shelves before being offered to customers.
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Fish and its almighty ingredients
A few years ago, it was said omega-3 fatty acids could prevent any illness: cancer, cardiovascular disease - even attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and depression. Health experts advised us to swallow omega-3-supplements daily. But now we know more: Yes, these fatty acids are important for some functions in our body. But for most conditions, supplements are not beneficial at all.
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Too much of a good thing can be bad
Vitamins are essential for your metabolism, so what could be healthier than swallowing vitamin pills every day? Vitamin C especially was said to protect against all kinds of diseases, including common colds. But studies have been unable to prove this. In fact, vitamin supplements may even harm you. At least, that's what they say today ...
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Why drink before you're thirsty?
Nature is pretty clever. When we need water, we get thirsty. But somebody once said we should drink before we're thirsty - at least three liters per day, or more. The theory may have a basis in the fact that elderly people often lose their feeling of thirst. But normally your body should do a fine job of letting you know when you need to drink.
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Is milk harmful?
Milk contains calcium - it's good for your bones and strengthens your immune system. That's what we've learnt. But a decades-long Swedish study suggests people who drink a lot of milk may die early. Is the sugar galactose responsible? Nobody knows. For now, keep drinking milk, but in moderation.
Wheaty concerns
Another baddie on the horizon is wheat. Numerous websites warn of its dangers. They say "it inflames our bodies, causes our guts to leak, and triggers autoimmune diseases." Some doctors - and authors - say wheat may even cause baldness, hallucinations and suicidal thoughts. Despite the fact that there are no studies to support this, many have given up this grain that sustained their ancestors.
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All that is organic is not gold
If normal food contains too much chemistry - as some say - hooray, organic food is what we need. It is produced without chemical fertilizers or any "evil" substances, we're told. But studies suggest organic food is not richer in nutrients or better for you than non-organic foods. It's just more expensive.
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A balanced life is a healthy life
In spite of everything, lifestyle does matter. Statistics show clearly that smoking, drinking excessively and being overweight are unhealthy - they may even kill you. But you shouldn't worry too much about reports hyping one food over another - it comes down to balance. So no matter what, just don't overdo it.