Research Shows Coffee Lowers Risk of Stroke and Heart Disease

Consumed by 66% of women and 62% of men daily, coffee is one of the country's most popular beverages. In fact, it's surpassed only by water. Brewed from roasted coffee beans, it's a delicious beverage that packs a strong punch of caffeine, making it particularly useful for early morning risers. However, there are other reasons to make coffee a part of your normal morning routine, including the numerous health benefits it offers.

According to several new studies, people who drink coffee on a regular basis have a lower risk of heart disease and stroke than their counterparts. Conducted by researchers from the University of Southern California, one study analyzed more than 185,000  men and women over a 16-year period, paying close attention to rates of coffee consumption and mortality. Researchers found that people who consumed at least one cup a day had a 12% lower risk of death. Specifically, coffee was found to lower the risk of death from heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, diabetes and even cancer.

Another study was conducted by researchers in Europe, which involved nearly a half-million participants from 1992 to 2000. Also a 16-year study, researchers found that participants who consumed three or more cups a day were up to 18% less likely to die from all causes than their counterparts.

So, what makes coffee such a beneficial beverage? That question remains open to debate. Researchers only found a correlation between coffee consumption and lower rates of mortality associated with heart disease, stroke and other chronic conditions. They did not find out why coffee has the health benefits. One of the study's authors even explains that it could be the lifestyle differences between coffee drinkers and non-coffee drinkers.

"It is not necessarily the coffee drinking per se, it is that fact that there are other things about your lifestyle or the lack of ill-health that might be causing the association,” said Naveed Sattar of the University of Glasgow.

Of course, numerous other studies have reinforced the health benefits of coffee. Some studies have even found that people who drink coffee on a regular basis experience lower rates of Alzheimer's than their counterparts. There are a few theories regarding its health benefits, one of which is the high antioxidant content of coffee. Coffee contains natural compounds known as antioxidants that fight and neutralize harmful compounds known as free radicals. Some researchers believe this is why coffee offers such amazing health benefits. Others, however, believe it's the caffeine content in coffee. Regardless, it's safe to assume that coffee is an excellent health beverage that offers some key benefits.

The bottom line is that coffee is a beneficial beverage that offers some key health benefits. Just remember to limit your use of sugar when preparing your coffee in the morning. After all, it's only beneficial if it's not loaded with sugar.