It may stain your teeth, but it's good for your heart. A study released by international academic journal, Heart, found that a moderate consumption of coffee can reduce the level of coronary artery calcium (CAC).
CAC are essentially little specks of calcium build-up in the walls of the heart arteries. Build-up of CAC in the arteries is an early sign of heart disease, according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
The study released found that precisely three to five cups of coffee a day, no more or no less, can help to reduce the level of CAC in the heart arteries.
After assessing 25,138 men and women, at an average age of 41.3 years, researchers found that those who consumed between three and five cups of coffee a day had the lowest prevalence of CAC with a calcium ratio of .59.
The average consumption of coffee for this study was 1.8 cups per day.
Interestingly, the study found that individuals who consumed less than one cup of the good stuff every day actually had a higher calcium ratio of .77. Whereas, individuals who increased their coffee consumption up to one to three cups a day were found to have an average CAC level of .66
Despite CAC decreases in those who drink three to five cups, researchers found that exceeding five cups of coffee daily increases calcium ratios up to .81.
The men and women assessed in this study underwent a health screening examination and were deemed as fit in regards to their cardiovascular health.
Essentially, three to five cups seems to be the magic number and shying away from coffee to improve your health might not be the answer. Like anything else, it's all about moderation.
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