Drinking two to three cups of coffee a day linked to a longer life

Published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, it found the greatest risk reduction was seen with two to three cups per day.

Compared with not drinking coffee, it was associated with a 14%, 27% and 11% lower likelihood of death during the 12.5 year period of the study for decaffeinated, ground and instant preparations respectively.

“The results suggest that mild to moderate intake of ground, instant and decaffeinated coffee should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle.”

The study investigated the links between different types of coffee and heart rhythms, cardiovascular disease and death using data from the UK Biobank study – which recruited adults between 40 and 69 years old.

Cardiovascular disease was made up of coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure and ischaemic stroke.

Prof Kistler said: “Caffeine is the most well-known constituent in coffee, but the beverage contains more than 100 biologically active components.

“It is likely that the non-caffeinated compounds were responsible for the positive relationships observed between coffee drinking, cardiovascular disease and survival.

“Our findings indicate that drinking modest amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged but can be enjoyed as a heart healthy behaviour.”

Some 449,563 people completed a questionnaire asking how many cups of coffee they drank each day and whether they usually drank instant, ground or decaffeinated coffee.

They were then split into six daily intake categories, consisting of none, less than one, one, two to three, four to five, or more than five cups a day.

Researchers found that 27,809 (6.2%) people died during a follow-up period of 12.5 years.

While all coffee types were associated with a reduction in cardiovascular disease, the lowest risk was seen in those who drank to three cups a day.