For many of us, there’s no better way to start the day than over a comforting cup of brew: coffee. But what if your daily habit could actually be good for your heart? With debate in both directions, it’s time to really dig into what the science says. So let’s take a look: Is coffee healthy for your heart? We’ll examine three compelling studies that open eyes to some surprising findings.
The Relationship Between Coffee and Heart Health
Filled with antioxidants and other compounds that might potentially give heart health benefits, is it even conceivable that coffee and its associated compounds might perhaps interfere with heart function? Indeed, caffeine might also lead to an increase in blood pressure. So, precisely where is coffee situated within the loose context of heart benefits? Well, it seems research does not make for quite as black-and-white an answer as your espresso shot.
Earlier, studies were contradictory but of late some new researches really proved that moderate coffee consumption is related to a decreased risk of heart disease. Let’s break down what the newest research tells us.
To know whether coffee is good or bad for your heart, we’ll look into three specific studies through which the debate has been maintained over time.
Study 1: Coffee and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
The first one is ‘’Association of coffee consumption with all-cause and cause-specific mortality, published by the journal of the American College of Cardiology. They sample one of the study contained 401, 198 participants and it took 10 years. Conclusion: For 2-3 cups a day, that minimum was 10-15% less possibility of the development of cardiac diseases than in the individuals that did not consume coffee.
This is due to the fact that coffee contains antioxidants with a potential to reduce inflammation and improve the overall flow of blood. So, two or three cups a day might cause your heart to feel like a guardian angel, watching over you against heart disease.
Study 2: Effect of Coffee on Blood Pressure
A lot of people have been afraid that coffee raises blood pressure. The second study, published in Hypertension, looked at whether coffee drinking raises or lowers blood pressure. The researchers found that while caffeine does initially raise blood pressure, it was not associated with chronic elevation of high blood pressure in the majority of participants over the long run when consumed at moderate levels of intake on a regular basis.
In fact, the results of the study showed that moderate coffee drinkers exhibited lower risks of developing hypertension, wherein bioactive compounds in coffee may be contributing to better regulation of blood flow.
Study 3: Coffee Consumption and Heart Attack Risk Attacks
The third study was conducted by the British Heart Foundation and investigated whether coffee consumption is related to heart attacks. Interestingly, no considerable association between moderate coffee drinking and greater risk of heart attacks was seen in that research. In fact, the study established that habitual coffee drinkers had less risk to experience heart attacks than non-drinkers.
This might be because it helps increase metabolism and lowering the bad cholesterol or LDL in the body, thus saving the heart from the negative effects that it could have.
How much coffee is healthy for your heart?
Having passed through the science, you probably are curious to know: How much is too much? The studies reveal that having 2-4 cups of coffee per day is usually safe and, perhaps, provides heart-protective effects. All above that could swing the balance in the wrong direction.
Moderation Is Key
As with everything else in life, moderation is key. Overindulgence could cause increased heart palpitations or anxiety, which might not be great for your heart, especially when consuming higher-caffeine drinks like espresso.
What most assists in maintaining heart health’s best types of coffee
Its preparation may take different forms and therefore the way in which a coffee is brewed does have an influence on its impact on the body. Types have been discussed above let’s take a closer look at the ones that are good for your heart.
Black coffee vs. Brown colour coffee
Of all the beverages there is, a cup of filtered coffee is one of the healthiest for the heart. Why? The filtering process strips some of the diterpenes that have been proven to raise cholesterol levels. Hence if you fancy French or Turkish style coffee, it is high time you moved to drip filter for the sake of your heart.
Decaf Coffee: Does It Make a Difference?
So for a coffee lover who wishes to reduce caffeine intake, then decaffeinate is really not so awful. From some of the research, there is evidence that decaffeinated coffee offers as much heart advantage just like an original coffee drink without the risk of taking caffeine. But there is a catch; decaf coffee probably lack the bioactive compounds present in the caffeinated one.
