Popular drink before 12pm linked to reduced risk of getting common disease
A longevity specialist claims that most people can add years to their lives by drinking a cup of coffee each morning, as it helps reduce their risk of a common chronic disease. This might not seem like a challenge to most fans of the beverage, but there's a deadline to meet to get the most benefits.
Dan Buettner, an expert on living longer, claimed that a morning cup of coffee not only makes people feel more refreshed but could also extend lifespans when drunk in a specific way and before a specific time. It's not the milky lattes or elaborate Starbucks creations that lead to increased longevity—instead, it is straightforward black coffee without sugar.
Taking to Instagram, Buettner said: "I think one of the greatest longevity beverages out there is coffee, but I think one of the most important secrets to drinking it and living longer is to drink it before noon. If you drink your cup of coffee or two before noon, it actually lowers your chance of cardiovascular disease."
Lighter roast coffees, which contain higher levels of 'life-extending' antioxidants, coupled with omitting milk and sugar to minimise calories, might be the key. These beans undergo less roasting time and at cooler temperatures compared to medium or dark roasts, maintaining more of the beans' inherent properties and nuances, reports Surrey Live.
Buettner further advised: "If you are drinking your coffee [in the] afternoon or evening, it doesn't seem to do that. Plus, if you are drinking coffee too late in the day, it may interrupt your sleep. Bad sleep equals shorter life."
An American longevity specialist is not alone in espousing the virtues of morning coffee; even the British Heart Foundation has referred to research published in the European Heart Journal, which claimed: "It's not how much coffee you drink, but when you drink it that matters."
The study looked at the coffee-drinking habits of over 40,000 people, tracking their intake of both caffeinated and decaffeinated beverages. Findings indicate that morning coffee drinkers were less likely (by approximately 31%) to succumb to heart or circulatory diseases over an average decade than those who never touched a drop of coffee.
The report claimed: "While morning coffee drinkers had a reduced risk of dying no matter how many cups they drank a day, morning drinkers who had two to three cups had the lowest risk – they were nearly half as likely to die from a heart or circulatory disease as those who drank none."
Although having a daily cup of coffee at breakfast has become almost second nature for many, it is important for people to be aware of the potential side effects of excessive coffee drinking. Too much caffeine can cause unpleasant outcomes, including jitteriness, throbbing headaches, and a faster-than-normal heartbeat.
For those partial to caffeinated coffee, there might also be a rise in the frequency of heartburn, otherwise referred to as reflux symptoms. Some may find themselves visiting the loo more often because of coffee's diuretic effect.
The typical adult's intake of three to four cups of coffee daily, equating to roughly 400 milligrams of caffeine, generally falls within safe guidelines. Ideally, this should be incorporated into a routine that includes a balanced diet and regular exercise.
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