According to American researchers, drinking one to two cups of black coffee per day is linked to a lower risk of death. A plausible theory?
Physical and mental benefits
According to the study, a simple cup of coffee in the morning could help women stay in good mental and physical health.
“Our study presents several strong points“, admits Dr. Sara Mahdavi, a researcher at Harvard. “In addition to the large sample size and 30-year follow-up, we assessed several aspects of longevity and healthy aging, as well as very comprehensive information on dietary and lifestyle habits, collected every four years after the start of the study.“.
Indeed, after collecting the consumption habits of 47,513 participants, scientists realized that consuming caffeine made them live longer (up to 70 years or more), without any memory problems and without chronic illness (cancer, type 2 diabetes, kidney failure, Parkinson’s disease, etc.).
In detail, each additional cup of coffee per day was linked “2 to 5% greater likelihood of doing well later in life. reveals the press release from the American Society of Nutrition. But these beneficial effects had a certain limit: they slowed down after three cups.
“These results, although preliminary, suggest that small, regular habits can influence long-term health“, confirms Dr. Sara Mahdavi. “Moderate coffee consumption may provide protective benefits when combined with other healthy behaviors such as regular exercise, a balanced diet and abstaining from smoking.”
Promising results, which hardly surprise Dr Gérald Kierzek, medical director of True Medical.
Caffeine: schedules to respect to maximize its benefits
No offense to caffeine addicts, espresso cannot be sipped at any time of the day. It must respect a very precise “timing”:
- Coffee : “Drinking coffee is optimal between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. because cortisol (the wake-up hormone) is naturally high when you wake up. Drinking coffee too early – before 9 a.m. – can disrupt this cycle and reduce its effectiveness. So avoid after 2 p.m.-3 p.m.: the half-life of caffeine (3-6 hours) can disrupt sleep, even if you “don’t feel it””, says the medical director of True Medical.
- Tea : “The benefits of tea are optimized in the morning and/or afternoon. Theine (caffeine in tea) is released more slowly thanks to the tannins: the stimulating effect is prolonged but less brutal. However, avoid tannins during meals: they inhibit the absorption of iron (especially non-heme iron from plants). In this case, it is better to wait 1 hour before/after a meal”, admits the expert.
How to boost the benefits of caffeine/theine?
Adding a little fat to your coffee (for example, clarified butter, as in “Bulletproof Coffee”) can promote more stable and prolonged energy, according to some studies.
“However, avoid this type of coffee on an empty stomach if you are stressed: it can increase gastric acidity and lead to cortisol peaks,” warns Dr. Gérald Kierzek.
Lemon, rich in vitamin C, also improves the absorption of green tea antioxidants (catechins). “To do this, infuse it at less than 80°C to avoid bitterness and preserve the polyphenols.”
Also be careful of potential side effects.
- Insomnia
: “Coffee taken after 2 p.m. (even decaffeinated) or black tea in the evening can disrupt sleep.” - Anemia: “Tea consumed during an iron-rich meal (e.g. spinach, lentils) may slow iron absorption.”
- Heartburn: “Drinking coffee on an empty stomach increases the risk of acid reflux.”
“Black coffee and coffee with low levels of added sugar and saturated fat is rather associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality, compared to the absence of consumption”, adds the doctor. “Conversely, adding sugar to coffee or tea appears to negate some of these “longevity” benefits, and could even increase the risk to die prematurely”, concludes Dr Gérald Kierzek.