So, one of the big questions about coffee and heart health; Is it good for you? Most of us get a jolt of energy with that first sip of coffee in the morning. It feels great! It helps us focus. But are we doing harm to our heart? Not according to the latest studies. In fact, coffee is good for your heart, according to the findings.
From EatThis.com:
This may be music to your sleep-deprived ears: new research convincingly shows that, for most people, enjoying coffee on a regular basis may actually be good for your heart. This is one of the reasons why the Dietary Guidelines for Americans say that three to five 8-ounce cups a day of plain, black coffee can be part of a healthy diet. (Related: 8 Awesome Benefits of Drinking Coffee, According to Dietitians.)
What we crave in our morning cup of joe is the caffeine it provides. Caffeine is the most commonly consumed natural stimulant in the world. Caffeine gets you hooked because it crosses the blood-brain barrier and stimulates the central nervous system in a way that boosts energy, metabolism and stamina, alertness, and improves your mood. Too much, however, can lead to an upset stomach, may make you feel jittery, anxious, disrupts sleep, and may
The benefits for your heart do not occur if you are drinking decaf. Caffeine seems to be the key to coffee and heart health
Drinking Coffee Reduces The Risk Of Heart Failure
Again, from EatThis.com:
In a major new meta-analysis of three, large human trials reported in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation: Heart Failure, researchers reported that coffee consumption was inversely associated with heart failure. In other words: Those who reported drinking more coffee had the least risk for heart failure. In fact, data from the Framingham Heart Study found a 5%-12% reduction in risk of heart failure per cup of coffee, compared to participants who did not drink coffee.
So, each cup of coffee you drink each day reduces the risk of heart failure by 5%-12%! If you drink 4 cups a day, that’s a decrease of up to almost 50%!
Coffee Is Rich In Antioxidants
The main antioxidants in coffee are polyphenols. They fight free radicals know to cause heart disease. Additionally, polyphenols may help by boosting good cholesterol, lowering bad cholesterol, improve blood vessel function and reducing systemic inflammation.
So, drinking coffee on a regular basis may be good for most people’s heart health. One recommendation to maximize the benefits is to drink black coffee or at least minimize the added sugars and other calorie rich add-ins.