No, your eyes are not deceiving you. If you drink coffee you are more likely to live longer.
For many, the general assumption might be that caffeine and therefore coffee is not particularly good for you. Well let us quash that theory right now. A recent study of more than half a million people across 10 different European countries found:
Compared with drinking no coffee, coffee consumption was associated with lower total mortality.
Unbelievable right? Not so. The study was carried out specifically to determine if “coffee consumption is associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality”. and the results are startling…
How was the study carried out?
521,330 people were initially enrolled in the study, and the researchers checked back in on them after 16 years to see how they were getting on. After that time, 41,693 of the poor buggers had died. When they compared the non-coffee drinkers with the coffee drinkers they found that “participants in the highest quartile of coffee consumption had statistically significantly lower all-cause mortality”. Which basically means that the participants who drank the most coffee had the lowest chance of dying – statistically speaking.
Good news for coffee fans
This obviously sounds like great news for coffee drinkers, and it is in many regards, as it flies in the face of popular assumptions – so the next time Margaret from HR berates you for having too many macchiatos you can point her in the direction of this article. But it isn’t carte-blanche to down espressos from dawn until dusk, and (as with pretty much anything) we’d suggest that coffee is consumed in sensible moderation as part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle (blah, blah, blah). But perhaps you’ll enjoy your next cup that little bit more and completely guilt-free. You’re welcome.