For most people, having a cup of coffee on a daily basis is a sure-shot way of beginning the day right. Some people can not function without having their coffee fix first, and coffee is often blamed for caffeine addiction or increased blood pressure. However, new research suggests that coffee can actually be good for the body, after all.
A study published in PLOS Medicine suggests that having a few cups of coffee and tea is linked to lower chances of stroke and dementia. The study analyzed data of more than 365,000 people from the ages of 50 to 74 years and their health as well as their coffee and tea drinking habits were monitored for a span of 10 to 14 years.
As the study proceeded, 5079 subjects taking part in the study developed dementia, while more than 10,000 people had at least one stroke. As the researchers looked into their coffee drinking habits, they found that people who drank coffee regularly had a lower risk of both dementia and strokes than those who abstained from it completely. Specifically, people who had 2 to 3 cups of coffee or 5 to 6 cups of tea daily were found to be at a lower risk of both of these medical conditions. In combination, the ideal daily amount of tea and coffee consumption to avoid strokes and dementia was found to be four to six cups. These tea and coffee drinkers were at a 32% lower risk of getting a stroke and at a 28% lower risk of getting dementia.
It is important to note that the study only found a link between the two factors, and it is not necessary that a lower risk of dementia and stroke was caused by drinking coffee and tea alone. It’s just that people who consumed the two hot beverages often have a lower risk of the two serious health conditions.
Even though the researchers emphasized that the study only shows correlation and not causation, doctors remained intrigued by the research findings. Additionally, another study done previously also suggests that having three cups of coffee a day lowers the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Of course, it is also possible than one can have too much of a good thing–and would you believe it, the statistical numbers back this theory up in the case of coffee as well. Another study shows that having more than six cups of coffee a day increases the risk for dementia. Caffeine is the key factor in both coffee and tea drinking habits, and experts also think that both tea and coffee have powerful antioxidants which help protect brain cells, decreasing risks for dementia.
