Drinking coffee offers many health benefits, from a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease to a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease.
All of this was already known, but now a new study has discovered another benefit: it seems that people who drink coffee daily have a lower risk of dying from liver diseases.
The study, published in the journal BMC Public Health, analyzed data from over 495,000 people in the UK over 10 years. The researchers tracked individuals who developed chronic liver diseases, which are a growing concern worldwide.
Regular coffee drinkers showed a 21% lower risk of developing liver diseases and a 20% reduction in the risk of fatty liver disease compared to non-drinkers.
Additionally, coffee drinkers who did develop any of these diseases had a much lower mortality rate.
“Coffee is very accessible worldwide, and the benefits we’ve discovered in this study suggest it could be a potential tool for preventing chronic liver diseases,” the authors explained.
Liver-related diseases are a significant health problem worldwide, especially in poorer countries, and have worsened over the last three decades. There are more than 100 types of liver diseases, with causes ranging widely from viruses, genetic predisposition, reactions to medications, alcoholism, or a combination of these factors.
The liver disease prevention benefits associated with coffee tended to be greater among people who consumed ground coffee rather than instant coffee. Ground coffee contains more kahweol and cafestol, two chemicals with anti-inflammatory properties. However, experts still do not fully understand why coffee has this new benefit. Studies often focus on the role of certain plant compounds, such as polyphenols, which are abundant in coffee beans.
However, it should be noted that this study has an important caveat: the participants were mostly white and of a high socioeconomic status, so caution should be taken when generalizing these findings to all population sectors.
Overall, experts warn that such studies on the benefits of specific products should be taken with caution and that it is not advisable to start drinking a lot of coffee if you haven’t been doing so before. The reason: coffee also has its risks and disadvantages, such as insomnia, increased blood pressure, and heartburn.
If you want to prevent liver diseases, it’s better to exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, minimize alcohol consumption, take medications only when prescribed by a doctor, and follow the instructions on the medication leaflet.
In general, considering that millions of people drink coffee daily and that a few years ago, some studies suggested it might be carcinogenic (a belief now disproven), this new study is good news.
If you want to take advantage of coffee’s benefits, be sure not to exceed 400 milligrams of caffeine per day (four cups of coffee at most) and be mindful of sweeteners (sugar, condensed milk, syrups…).
If you keep all this in mind, enjoy a cup without guilt.
https://www.huffingtonpost.es/entry/beneficio-cafe-ciencia_es_60d9d30fe4b01ec760f525e6