A new study has found that drinking coffee daily reduces your risk of chronic liver disease.
A study published in the BMC Public Health says regular coffee drinkers are significantly less likely to develop chronic liver and fatty liver disease, and 49% less likely to die from chronic liver disease when compared to non-coffee drinkers.
Author Dr. Oliver Kennedy, a member of the medical faculty at University of Southampton, said: “Coffee is widely accessible, and the benefits we see from our study may mean it could offer a potential preventative treatment for chronic liver disease.”
According to Kennedy, this could greatly benefit those in developing countries and nations with poor healthcare and healthcare access.
The study looked at 495,585 samples taken from the UK Biobank over a period of twelve years.
Results showed that all coffee types reduced risk of chronic liver disease, but those who drank ground caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee types saw the greatest benefits. Ground coffee contains higher concentrations of the antioxidants cafestol and kahweol, which previous studies have already shown can reduce inflammation.
This study adds to the growing scholarship on the health benefits of drinking coffee. Back in February, a study was released that found drinking at least a cup of black, caffeinated coffee every day can reduce the long-term risk of heart failure. Other studies show coffee lowers the risk of prostate cancer, Alzheimer’s, and certain skin cancers.
It’s important to note that most of these studies indicating the healthiness of coffee have been conducted on drinking straight black coffee. Many coffee lovers put additives into their drink that likely negate any potential benefits, like sugar and non-dairy creamers.
The health hazards of overconsuming coffee are well-documented. Most studies measure a cup of coffee as eight ounces; if you typically order a large-sized drink at your coffee shop, you may be consuming the equivalent of two or three cups, depending on the chain.
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