Is there anything Coffee – with its abundant flavonols – can’t do? Maybe not! Researchers claim that one – three cups of regular, black coffee can prolong your life significantly. But they’re still trying to figure out HOW…
Over the past decade or so, we’ve seen a number of really positive studis go by here at the FFB, about how coffee can benefit our lives. With every new report, confidence has risen among physicians and clinicians that there’s much more to Coffee than we thought…
More proof…
The latest survey from Tufts University suggests that one-three cups of plain black coffee in the mor-ning can extend your life by double digit figures. But just how that works remains a mystery.
The researchers started out trying to determine how the addition of milk/cream and sugar impacted the effects of your morning Java.
What they did
The team had, at its disposal, the results of a very-long-term observational study of more than 46,000 adults over the age of 20 who took part in 19 consecutive 2-year cycles (from 1999 to 2018) of the the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Which they cross-referenced with National Death Index Mortality Data.
What they found
Consumption of at least one cup of coffee per day was associated with a 16 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality. At 2-3 cups per day, the link rose to 17 percent. However, consumption beyond three cups per day was not associated with additional reductions in all-cause mortality. And the specific link between coffee and a lower risk of death by cardiovascular disease weakened when coffee con-sumption exceeded three cups per day.
Effects of additions
The addition of relatively small amounts of dairy products and nutritive sweeteners (such as white sugar, honey and syrups) tended to cancel out the benefits bestowed by black coffee.
‘Low added sugar’ (from granulated sugar, honey, and syrup) was defined as under 5 percent of the Daily Recommended Value, which is 2.5 grams per 8-ounce cup or approximately half a teaspoon of sugar. Low saturated fat (from milk, cream, and half-and-half) was defined as 5 percent of the DRV, or 1 gram per 8-ounce cup – or the equivalent of 5 tablespoons of 2 percent milk, 1 tablespoon of light cream, or 1 tablespoon of half-and-half.
Alas… Most Americans customarily consume their coffee with somewhat more cream and sugar than the levels defined as ‘low’ in the study.
By contrast…
No significant associations were seen between coffee consumption and cancer mortality.
The takeaway
“Few studies have examined how coffee additives could impact the link between coffee consumption and mortality risk, and our study is among the first to quantify how much sweetener and saturated fat are being added,” said study report first author Dr Bingjie Zhou.
“Our results align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans which recommend limiting added sugar and saturated fat.”
My take
“Coffee is among the most-consumed beverages in the world. […] With nearly half of American adults reporting drinking at least one cup per day, it’s important for us to know what it might mean for health,” said Fang Fang Zhang, senior author of the study. There’s an understatement of the week candidate if ever I heard one!
So… It would seem that the next step would be to determine HOW black coffee works its magic. And how to mitigate the dramatic negative effects of even small amounts of dairy products and sugars…
~ Maggie J.