Drinking 2-3 Cups of Coffee a Day Can Lower Your Cardiovascular Disease Risk. A study has found a link between coffee drinking and longer life. It also found coffee was associated with a lower risk for cardiovascular disease. Two to three cups per day appeared to be the sweet spot for these benefits.
Caffeine affects the heart in multiple ways. Firstly, it promotes the release of noradrenaline and norepinephrine. Among other things, these hormones increase heart rate and blood pressure. Additionally, caffeine can act on enzymes that stimulate heart contractions, causing the heart to contract with more force.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Caffeine is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about coffee. But coffee also contains antioxidants and other active substances that may reduce internal inflammation and protect against disease, say nutrition experts from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
According to Beth Witherspoon, registered dietitian consultant for Community Coffee Company, “Moderate coffee consumption (3-5 cups daily) may be linked to decreased mortality from all causes, reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and decreased risk of Parkinson's disease, dementia, liver cirrhosis, and certain ...
While there is often concern about the links between caffeine and heart health, a moderate amount of tea or coffee (four or five cups a day) should be fine for most people. Research shows that this level of caffeine intake shouldn't be detrimental to your heart health, affect your cholesterol levels or heart rhythm.
Three cups of coffee a day clears out your arteries and could help beat heart disease, according to a new study. Scientists at the University of Sao Paulo took dietary information and Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) readings from more than 4,400 study participants, nearly all of whom drank coffee.
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.
Though brewed coffee does not contain actual cholesterol, it does have two natural oils that contain chemical compounds -- cafestol and kahweol -- which can raise cholesterol levels. And studies have shown that older coffee drinkers have higher levels of cholesterol.
Answer: Caffeine has multiple effects on the central nervous system, as well as the heart. Typically most people will experience an increase in heart rate, the degree of which differs among individuals.
If you are worried about your cholesterol then the best coffee to drink is regular old filtered coffee (Oh, hello, Mr. Coffee). Generally, you would want to stay away from espresso drinks or French press coffee.
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 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.
People whose daily diets include at least two servings per day of milk, yogurt, or cheese appear to have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, or death than people who don't consume dairy products.
Some research suggests coffee can lower the risk for high blood pressure, also called hypertension, in people who don't already have it. But drinking too much coffee has been shown to raise blood pressure and lead to anxiety, heart palpitations and trouble sleeping.
Caffeine is a stimulant, which means it increases activity in your brain and nervous system. It also increases the circulation of chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline in the body. In small doses, caffeine can make you feel refreshed and focused.