2-3 Cups Of Coffee A Day Lowers The Risk Of Heart Disease, But Can You Drink It With Sugar?

Studies have shown that two to three cups of coffee a day lower the risk of heart disease. So, what about those who enjoy sweet coffee with sugar?

A new study has emerged to answer this question.

Researchers at Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China, recently conducted a study comparing people who drank sugar coffee and sugar-free coffee by dividing them into separate groups. Results were found to be helpful. However, there are limitations such as changes in coffee consumption habits, uncontrollable diet, and the amount of added sugar. Participants responded to the relevant questionnaire only once, and the majority of participants who drank sugar consumed one tablespoon. It is unclear whether the findings for coffee with higher sugar content are the same.

Looking more closely, those who drank 2.5 to 4.5 cups of sugar-free coffee per day had an up to 29% lower premature mortality rate compared to those who did not drink coffee. Even with added sugar, those who drank 1.5 to 3.5 cups a day had a 31% lower risk of death compared to those who did not. 

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According to foreign media such as The Guardian, the research team investigated the data and the coffee consumption habits of 171,000 people provided by Biobank in the UK. All participants with an average age of 55.6 years had no cancer or heart disease at the beginning of the study.

"We cannot conclude with certainty that drinking coffee reduces the risk of death, but what we can say is that drinking coffee with a little sugar does not cause any significant harm," the researchers said.

Earlier in April, Australian researchers published a study showing that coffee was not associated with aggravating new or existing heart disease, but rather could have cardioprotective effects. For more than 10 years, 500,000 people who consumed one to six cups of coffee a day were followed and divided among those without heart disease and those with heart disease.

They found that those who drank two to three cups of coffee a day had a 10 to 15 percent lower risk of dying from coronary heart disease, heart failure, and heart rhythm problems, compared to those who didn't. Those who drank one cup a day had the lowest risk of stroke and heart-related death.

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Results did not change for those who drank instant coffee, ground coffee, or decaffeinated coffee. 

Even people with cardiovascular disease who drank two to three cups of coffee a day had a 20% lower risk of death compared to those not drinking coffee. The researchers also found that drinking a lot of coffee had no effect on heart rate problems, such as arrhythmias. Although the results were the same even when the type of coffee was changed, decaffeinated coffee was somewhat less effective in preventing arrhythmias and heart failure than caffeinated coffee.

On the other hand, natural sweeteners like honey are a great substitute for sugar. Manuka Blend honey, for example, has a natural antibiotic effect. It has also shown promising effects in the inhibition and prevention of cancer cells. So you might want to try adding honey in your next cup of coffee!