Why coffee could be good for your health

Why coffee could be good for your health Getty Images In the past, coffee was associated with increased health risks. “Research from the 1980s and 90s concluded that people who drank coffee had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease – but it’s evolved since then.” With more, larger-scale population studies emerging over the last decade, Gunter says, scientists now have data from hundreds of thousands of coffee-drinkers. Getty Images People who consume coffee regularly often have higher blood pressure – but it doesn’t seem to increase their risk of cardiovascular disease Clinical trials looking into coffee – which could better determine its benefits and risks – are rarer than population studies. “Consuming coffee produces no net benefit to our ability to work efficiently because we become tolerant to that effect, but as long as you keep consuming it, you’re probably not worse off.” Chee Gin Tan/Getty Images If you’re a regular coffee drinker, a cup is unlikely to help boost your concentration The only people who stand to use caffeine to their advantage, he says, are those who don’t drink it regularly. “We looked at different types coffee and saw consistent results across counties, which suggests it’s not about types of coffee but coffee-drinking per se.” Getty Images All types of coffee are associated with health benefits, though those benefits are stronger for ground coffee Still, researchers from a 2018 study found that the relationship between coffee and lifespan were stronger for ground coffee than for instant or decaf – although these were still found to be healthier than not drinking any coffee at all.