There are a lot of articles stating that coffee is good for the heart but this claim is still a big debate for coffee drinkers and noncoffee drinkers.
Without a doubt, a higher percentage of individuals are coffee drinkers. But the big question is that, is this a healthy addiction or unhealthy habit?
Doctors traditionally advised to patients to avoid drinking coffee because of – the assumption being that its caffeine content could promote not only the development of cardiovascular disease, but also heart attacks, strokes, and other acute cardiac events.
However, recent studies show that coffee is not problematic when drunk moderately. Benefits are usually attributed to coffee’s high concentration of polyphenols—antioxidant nutrients that can help offset inflammatory mediators in the blood and protect against all types of disease, not just heart disease.
To get a better understanding whether coffee if good or bad for the health, we list down some of the research around coffee’s specific effects on the heart.
Risk of developing heart disease
“According to two large meta-analyses—one including more than 400,000 cohort subjects, and the other more than 1 million—there is no association between drinking coffee and the long-term risk of developing heart disease. In fact, the first study found that moderate coffee consumption reduced this risk in women, and the second found that 3–5 cups of coffee a day reduced risk across the board.”
Risk of cardiac-related death
Coffee drinkers have a longer lifespan, and less likely to die from heart attacks, stroke, and heart failure, also from cancer Alzheimer and other chronic diseases.
“The Nurse’s Health Study, a long-running look at more than 80,000 women, found a specific reduction in stroke risk among women who drank 2-3 cups per week (a 19 percent reduction) and who drank 4 or more cups per week (a 20 percent reduction). Additional research has found similar results regardless of gender.”
Risk of high blood pressure
We used to think that drinking too much coffee increases the probability of developing high blood pressure. Multiple studies have proven that there is nothing wrong with drinking coffee. However, there is one study that suggests coffee (and caffeine) may pose a risk if you already have high blood pressure.
An Italian study followed more than 1,200 adults, ages 18–45, with untreated mild hypertension. After 12 years, the researchers concluded that heavy coffee drinkers (4 or more cups a day) had four times greater risk of a cardiac event, and moderate drinkers (1–3 cups) three times greater risk.
So if you have high blood pressure better yet take precautions and drink coffee moderately.
Risk of unhealthy cholesterol
There is evidence that unfiltered coffee can increase LDL cholesterol. There is nothing serious LDL levels unless they exceed 300 mg/dL. So, if your cholesterol level is higher than the normal make sure your brew is filtered.
Risk of nutrient deficiency
We drink coffee because it gives us a boost of energy, but have you ever noticed that everytime you drink your cup of Joe you often going is straight to the bathroom?
This is because caffeine is a diuretic. That is why it is important to people with heart problems to be cautious because drinking coffee causes us yo loss vital water-soluble nutrients like magnesium, potassium, and B vitamins since small deficiencies in nutrients like magnesium can have a big impact on heart function.
Risk of disturbed sleep
Coffee is our best friend for morning pick me up and at times we need to stay awake at some point, this is a result of caffeine’s stimulatory effect.
Sleep deprivation is linked to compromised health: the body responds to it by increasing the secretion stress hormones like cortisol, which stoke the flames of inflammation. On the other hand, research has shown that sleeping more than 7 hours a night can help you lower your risk of heart disease. If coffee is getting in the way of your being able to sleep, then I’d say it’s bad for your health.
There are more reasons here and there, but the question of whether coffee is good or bad for your health boils down to weighing the negative effects of caffeine against the protective antioxidant benefits of coffee’s polyphenols.
The protective benefits of coffee are certainly something you want to take advantage of, but that desire needs to be weighed carefully with the downsides of caffeine.
