A recent study has perked up coffee lovers with findings that suggest drinking up to four cups of coffee daily could slash the risk of developing type two diabetes and high blood pressure. However, it’s not all good news for those who indulge in more than four cups, as the benefits appear to diminish beyond this point.
The research, conducted by experts from the University of Navarre in Spain and the University of Catania in Italy, highlights an “association between coffee consumption and a decreased risk of type two diabetes” and notes that “long-term coffee consumption is associated with a decreased risk of hypertension”. Interestingly, the study indicates that both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee might be linked to a lower chance of metabolic syndrome—a cluster of conditions that heighten the risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease, affecting one in four adults and considered “particularly dangerous” by the NHS.
Key factors of metabolic syndrome include obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood triglycerides, reduced levels of HDL cholesterol, and insulin resistance. While the connection between coffee drinking and a lesser risk of obesity remains “less clear”, according to the study, the overall message seems to be that moderate coffee consumption could be beneficial for metabolic health.
Assistant professor Giuseppe Grosso, from the University of Catania, has highlighted that polyphenols found in coffee, particularly phenolic acids and flavonoids, may play a role in its health benefits. Although his research was independent, it was commissioned by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee, which is backed by major European coffee companies such as illycaffe, Jacobs Douwe Egberts, Lavazza, Nestle, Paulig, and Tchibo.
Diet expert Dr Federica Amati noted: “When we look at population data, coffee drinkers as a whole live longer, have reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.”
Adding to the good news for coffee aficionados, nutritional scientist Tim Spector has pointed out significant effects of coffee on heart disease, inflammation, and possibly blood pressure. The professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London and Zoe health app co-founder also mentioned potential advantages for gut microbe health.
Prof Spector said: “Coffee drinking can be predicted by your microbes, so we all have a particular microbe that only eats coffee. It’s called Lawsinobacter and just gives you an idea of what’s going on inside your gut. They’re very specific, very fussy eaters, so you’ve got to give them exactly what they want. And it turns out that drinking coffee is actually really good for you. Reduces your risk of heart disease by a third. That’s good news for coffee lovers, but again, it’s probably due to the microbes eating your coffee and producing healthy chemicals.”
Drawing upon past discussions, he argued coffee has been ‘demonised’ despite its associated short-term increases in heart rate and blood pressure. The expert highlighted coffee’s rich content in essential nutrients and an unexpectedly high fibre count.
Furthermore, he pointed out studies indicating that a moderate daily intake might cut the risk of heart attacks by 25 per cent.
“Coffee is a health food, and we should all be drinking at least three cups a day, according to the latest science. And it doesn’t matter if you don’t want caffeine, just have decaf. It’s probably just as healthy,” he said.
Prof Spector said that moderate consumption of 2–5 cups a day could be linked with a lower chance of type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, liver and endometrial cancers, Parkinson’s disease, and depression. He also suggested that coffee drinkers might even see a reduction in their risk of early death.