Heart health benefits Coffee is full of health benefits. According to the American College of Cardiology, drinking two to three cups of coffee per day is associated with maintaining a healthy heart.
In general, having two to three cups of coffee a day was associated with the greatest benefit, translating to a 10%-15% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, heart failure, a heart rhythm problem, or dying for any reason.
Drinking one to two cups of coffee a day may help ward off heart failure, when a weakened heart has difficulty pumping enough blood to the body.
Prior studies have also found moderate amounts of black coffee — between 3 and 5 cups daily — has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, as well as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, type 2 diabetes, liver disease and prostate cancer.
Unfiltered coffee—boiled or espresso—can slightly elevate cholesterol levels, making it a bad bet if your cholesterol is already high. Green and black teas, however, may actually lower cholesterol. This makes them a safe bet for most older adults.
Drinking one or more cups of coffee a day may reduce the risk of heart failure, according to new research. But only if it's caffeinated. The analysis of data from three large, well-known heart disease trials was published Tuesday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Heart Failure.
Conducted by researchers from the University of São Paulo in Brazil, the study reveals that drinking at least three cups of coffee every day may lower the risk of clogged arteries, or atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition caused by an accumulation of plaque in the arteries.
“For most people, moderate coffee consumption can be incorporated into a healthy diet.” Hu said that moderate coffee intake—about 2–5 cups a day—is linked to a lower likelihood of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver and endometrial cancers, Parkinson's disease, and depression.
Coffee still has potential risks, mostly due to its high caffeine content. For example, it can temporarily raise blood pressure. Women who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding need to be cautious about caffeine.
In this battle over health benefits, coffee comes out on top. Coffee drinkers can raise a mug to fiber, microbiome health and lowering risk for cancer and diabetes. But tea drinkers, do not despair. Tea is undoubtedly good for your blood pressure, cholesterol, stress levels, mental health and productivity.
While coffee does not contain cholesterol, it can affect cholesterol levels. The diterpenes in coffee suppress the body's production of substances involved in cholesterol breakdown, causing cholesterol to increase. Specifically, coffee diterpenes may cause an increase in total cholesterol and LDL levels.
Most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week without increasing their risk of heart disease. Some studies have shown that this level of egg consumption might even help prevent certain types of stroke and a serious eye condition called macular degeneration that can lead to blindness.
Based purely on its composition, coffee should win hands down: a cup of tea has about half the dose (40 milligrams) of the stimulant caffeine that you would find in a standard cup of brewed filter coffee (80 to 115 milligrams).
The healthiest way to take your coffee is hot-brewed and black. One cup has virtually no calories or carbs, no fat, and is low in sodium. Black coffee also has micronutrients, including potassium, magnesium, and niacin.
Caffeine may cause a short, but dramatic increase in your blood pressure, even if you don't have high blood pressure. It's unclear what causes this spike in blood pressure. The blood pressure response to caffeine differs from person to person.
Coffee is full of health benefits. According to the American College of Cardiology, drinking two to three cups of coffee per day is associated with maintaining a healthy heart.
People who consume between three to five cups of coffee a day may have a lower risk of coronary artery calcium build-up, which can lead to artery blockages, according to research published in the British Medical Journal's publication Heart.
However, caffeine can cause heart palpitations in people with caffeine sensitivity and those with an underlying heart condition. If you are new to consuming caffeine or are used to drinking excessive amounts, you are more likely to experience cardiac symptoms.
The Bottom Line
According to this new study, drinking two to three daily cups of instant, ground or decaf coffee may lower risk for heart disease and death, while any type of caffeinated coffee could reduce the likelihood of experiencing an arrhythmia.
Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are jam-packed with important nutrients that play a central role in heart health. Berries are also rich in antioxidants like anthocyanins, which protect against the oxidative stress and inflammation that contribute to the development of heart disease ( 9 ).