Love Coffee? It May Help Your Heart Too

There have been a host of recent studies linking coffee consumption to improved memory, health and longevity. This is music to the ears of Western Washingtonians. There’s a reason Starbucks started in Seattle; we love our coffee.

Now more good news from the American Heart Association to help us through our gray, Western Washington winter; drinking a second, or third, cup of coffee may reduce your risk of death from heart disease and other illnesses.

According to a recent study reported in the American Heart Association Journal, Circulation, those who drank a moderate amount of coffee daily (more than 1, but fewer than 5 cups a day) had a lower risk of death from a multitude of maladies including cardiovascular and neurological diseases, diabetes, and even suicide.

The results were the same for both caffeinated and decaffeinated consumption, leading researchers to believe that its not just caffeine providing the benefit, but naturally occurring chemical compounds in the beans. According to Dr. Ming Ding, the studys primary author, Bioactive compounds in coffee reduce insulin resistance and systemic inflammation.

The study suggests the need for more research. But as our short, cool, wet and gray days wear on, and my well-worn memory and energy lags, I welcome an opportunity to indulge in one more dark, steamy cup.