June 26, 2012
Possible benefits of coffee drinking
Regular,
moderate coffee consumption may reduce your risk of heart failure,
a study has claimed.
Researchers found that drinking the equivalent
of four cups of coffee per day had the most
significant benefit on heart health, compared to drinking none at
all. However, drinking more than this amount was found to increase
people’s risk of heart failure.
We currently say that drinking up to 4-5 cups of coffee a day should be fine for your heart
Victoria Taylor, our
Senior Dietitian, said: “It’s often assumed that coffee is
associated with heart problems, but this review suggests that for
moderate drinkers this isn’t necessarily the
case.
“We currently say that drinking up to 4-5 cups
of coffee a day should be fine for your heart, so this doesn’t
change this advice. However, before you head straight to the coffee
shop, it’s important to note that a cup is classed as
150ml. This is the size of a traditional teacup you would
have at home, but be aware that a ‘regular’ coffee in a high street
chain can be twice this size.
“Aside from the coffee itself, it is also
worth thinking about how you take your coffee. The cream or
milk that you take it with can add calories and saturated fat to
your diet. Going ‘skinny’ and having your drink made with
low fat milk is a healthier option.”
This study was published in the American
Heart Association’s journal Circulation Heart Failure.