A recent study by Tufts University finds that drinking black coffee could lower the risk of all-cause mortality. However, adding sugar and saturated fat negates these benefits.
If you enjoy your coffee black, you’re in for some good news. A new study conducted by researchers in the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University has found that consuming black coffee or coffee with minimal additives is linked to a lower risk of death from all causes, including cardiovascular disease.
The findings, published in The Journal of Nutrition, contrast the benefits of coffee with and without additives such as sugar and saturated fat.
Drinking 1-2 cups of caffeinated coffee daily correlated with a 14% reduction in all-cause mortality. The protective benefits of coffee were diminished when high amounts of sweeteners and creams were added.
The researchers analyzed data from nine cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 through 2018, assessing a sample of 46,000 adults aged 20 and older.
“Coffee is among the most-consumed beverages in the world, and with nearly half of American adults reporting drinking at least one cup per day, it’s important for us to know what it might mean for health,” senior author Fang Fang Zhang, the Neely Family Professor at the Friedman School, said in a news release. “The health benefits of coffee might be attributable to its bioactive compounds, but our results suggest that the addition of sugar and saturated fat may reduce the mortality benefits.”
The study examined different types of coffee, categorizing them by their content of caffeine, sugar and saturated fat.
Mortality was tracked in three categories: all-cause, cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Low sugar content was defined as under 5% of the Daily Value, approximately half a teaspoon per 8-ounce cup.
For saturated fat, low levels were defined as 5% of the Daily Value, or the equivalent of five tablespoons of 2% milk or one tablespoon of light cream.
The data suggested that even modest consumption of black coffee — at least one cup per day — was associated with a 16% lower risk of all-cause mortality. This protective effect increased marginally with 2-3 cups per day but plateaued with higher consumption.
Notably, the correlation between coffee and a reduced risk of cardiovascular death vanished beyond three cups per day.
No significant link was found between coffee consumption and cancer mortality.
“Few studies have examined how coffee additives could impact the link between coffee consumption and mortality risk, and our study is among the first to quantify how much sweetener and saturated fat are being added,” added first author Bingjie Zhou, a recent doctoral graduate from the nutrition epidemiology and data science program at the Friedman School. “Our results align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans which recommend limiting added sugar and saturated fat.”
The study highlights the health implications of how coffee is prepared and consumed, recommending people be mindful of not overloading their coffee with extras.
Though the study’s reliance on self-reported dietary recalls might introduce some variability, the insights provided can guide healthier coffee consumption practices.
For those looking to capitalize on coffee’s benefits, it might be time to enjoy the rich, unadulterated taste of black coffee — or at least reduce the added sugars and fats.
Source: Tufts University