Reassessing Your Coffee Routine

If you start your day with a bold cup of coffee, you might want to reconsider what you add to it.

Research indicates that coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk of death, but this benefit can be influenced by the type and amount of sweeteners and saturated fats you include, according to a study from the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University.

“Coffee is one of the most popular beverages globally, and since nearly half of American adults report drinking at least one cup daily, it’s crucial to understand its implications for health,” noted Fang Fang Zhang, the study’s senior author.

“The potential health benefits might stem from coffee’s bioactive compounds, but our findings indicate that sugar and saturated fat could diminish these mortality advantages.”

In fact, the study revealed that individuals who drank black coffee or those who added only minimal amounts of sugar and saturated fat had a 14% lower likelihood of dying from any cause compared to non-coffee drinkers.

However, things changed when sugar and saturated fat intake was higher.

The research utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning from 1999 to 2018 and included information from the National Death Index Mortality Data.

Out of the 46,332 U.S. adults studied, 7,074 passed away. Their death data was analyzed in relation to their coffee consumption.

Researchers observed that coffee drinkers generally had a lower risk of all-cause mortality; nonetheless, adding substantial sugar and saturated fat increased these risks.

The study is somewhat limited, yet it suggests that consuming caffeinated coffee could be linked to greater longevity, while decaf drinkers didn’t show any notable differences in mortality. Adding sugar, milk, or cream might counteract potential benefits.

“Very few studies have looked into how additives affect the relationship between coffee consumption and mortality risk, making our study one of the first to measure how much sugar and saturated fat people are adding,” stated researcher Bingjie Zhou.

“Our findings support the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which advise on minimizing added sugars and saturated fats.”