Coffee provides a variety of cardiovascular benefits. Studies have shown that a moderate consumption of coffee can improve cardiovascular health and prevent heart disease. A new study provided a clearer picture, suggesting a type of coffee that might be most beneficial for your heart health.
Published in the journal Clinical Nutrition ESPEN, the study used the fact that coffee was associated with positive cardiovascular health as a starting point.
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Researchers wanted to have a closer look at the effect of instant coffee on the progression of heart disease. They collected a variety of data from males and females between the ages of 39 and 67. Thirty percent of the people analyzed said they “habitually consumed instant coffee.”
The study showed a variety of things. For starters, it showed that regular consumption of instant coffee was linked with lower systolic pressure. After researchers accounted for a variety of factors though, this influence was diminished, rendering this result inconclusive. But researchers did make a positive discovery, finding that instant coffee was linked with “carotid arterial compliance,” which, according to the journal Nature, “is a functional marker of arterial elasticity.” This is a good thing, making it less likely for arteries to crash when exposed to high pressure.
Previous studies have linked coffee and heart health in interesting ways, with researchers discovering that caffeine is responsible for this influence. The influence of caffeine on the heart is not wholly understood, but studies comparing and contrasting decaf coffee vs regular coffee found that the former doesn’t provide heart health benefits. Regular coffee has been linked with less risk of heart failure, of developing cardiovascular disease, and more.
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While coffee is not for everyone and people with a sensitivity to it shouldn’t have coffee just because of its benefits, a large percentage of people really enjoy it. It’s a relief to know that a moderate consumption of coffee, a substance that has been previously linked with a variety of damaging conditions, paired with a healthy lifestyle and diet, is a good thing, with plenty of positive benefits.
