They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but it would seem science has found a more delicious solution.
Two new studies, the largest ever conducted in coffee drinking, have found that sipping away on as little as one cup a day reduced the risk of death due to heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory and kidney disease by as much as 12 per cent.
And this association was even stronger for those of us who functioned only with two to three coffees pumping through their blood – a whopping 18 per cent reduced chance of death, to be exact.
The findings, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, showed that a cup of coffee added to a daily diet would increase the average man’s life by three months and a woman’s by one.
“Pro-rata, that’s as if that cup of coffee puts, on average, around nine minutes on a man’s life, and around three minutes on a woman’s. So perhaps we should relax and enjoy it,” Prof Sir David Spiegelhalter, Winton Professor for the Public Understanding of Risk at the University of Cambridge told The Telegraph.
What’s more, the coffee order posed no discrimination. That’s right, the results showed no discrepancy for a latte drinker, an espresso lover, even for those who like their flat whites decaf.
Veronica W. Setiawan, lead author of the second and smaller study, says: “If you like to drink coffee, drink up! If you’re not a coffee drinker, then you need to consider if you should start.”
WATCH: Your guide to coffee without a side of weight-gain in the video below! Article continues…
It’s not the first time academics have encouraged us to get our brew on.
That’s right; science has a funny way of consistently providing us reasons to make friends with our local baristas on the journey to optimum health (despite our wallet’s protestations).
1. Reduce your risk of Melanoma
A study conducted by the National Cancer Institute and the Yale school of Public Health found that drinking up to four cups of Joe a day could reduce the risk of skin cancers by up to 20 per cent.
Why? Researchers put their findings down to the compounds contained in caffeine that can work to deflect cancer by fending off harmful rays, reducing inflammation and acting as a protector against harmful carcinogens.
2. Say hello to healthy hair
We all know that caffeine is a stimulant, so it would only make sense for the delicious beans to help stimulate hair follicles when applied topically.
In fact, recent research published in the British Journal of Dermatology found caffeine to be an effective treatment for hair loss and baldness.
For the brunettes out there, boost your hair growth and shine and by mixing up a treatment of coffee grounds and coconut oil, and massage into damp hair before rinsing.
The treatment will not only help to enhance growth and nourish your locks, but will also add a rich depth to your colour.
3. Protect your brain from Alzheimer’s disease
A 2012 study found drinking three cups of coffee a day to assist in staving off Alzheimer’s for adults aged 65+ experiencing cognitive and memory declines.
“We are not saying that moderate coffee consumption will completely protect people from Alzheimer’s disease, however, we firmly believe that moderate coffee consumption can appreciably reduce your risk of Alzheimer’s or delay its onset,” said study author Dr. Chuanhai Cao, a neuroscientist at the University of South Florida Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute.
Is Duchess Catherine’s secret to eternal youth in her morning brew?
4. Prevent fine lines and premature ageing
Coffee packs a series punch of antioxidants, which in addition to being amazing for overall skin health, can also fight premature ageing.
It works by attacking and eliminating free radicals, which we know contribute to wrinkles, sun spots and that loss of elasticity we all dread over drunken kebabs on our 30th birthdays.
Flavonoids, coffee’s antioxidant superpower, are released when brewed.
5. Drink coffee, lose weight
Though it’s not exactly an invitation to order an almond milk latte with two sugars and a dollop of honey, caffeine has been found to assist in both weight loss and physical performance.
A 2015 study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology found that people who drank coffee had a lower risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Other studies have shown caffeine can increase your body’s fat-burning abilities by as much as 10 per cent in obese individuals, and a huge 29 per cent in leaner people.
A brew before a workout can also help break down body fats, releasing them into the blood as fatty acids that are able to be used as fuel.
So, how much coffee should we really be drinking?
While each and every coffee-drinker will have their own perceptions of what is a normal and healthy amount (four-a-day seems adequate…right?) experts agree that we should only be consuming as many cups as our hands can hold.
“I recommend 1-2 cups of coffee per day for most people,” Erika Morvay , naturopath and holistic nutritionist at Fusion Health, tells Now To Love.
