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Many people wish to live long and healthy lives. But since the fountain of youth has yet to be found, certain dietary and lifestyle choices can help keep your ticker ticking and your body working for a long time.
Somethings you can do to encourage a longer lifeinclude avoiding smoking, participating in physical activity, and eating more produce. Less well-known is that sipping on your beloved morning brew may also help you live longer, which is excellent news for java lovers everywhere.
While it’s important to maintain a well-balanced diet and lifestyle to age healthily, coffee can offer significant perks when consumed in moderation. Read on to discover how coffee can improve your health and help you live longer.
The #1 Habit to Break for a Longer Life, According to a Dietitian
1. May Help You Manage a Healthy Weight
Research has shown that excessive weight can increase your risk of early death. Along with exercising, eating a balanced diet and prioritizing sleep, including caffeine in your diet may help manage your weight.
According to results from a meta-analysis, caffeine intake may help promote reductions in body fat and weight, supporting a healthy weight and, ultimately, your overall health.
Additionally, coffee containsmagnesiumand potassium, two nutrients that support your metabolism, potentially making weight management easier.
2. May Support Your Heart Health
3. May Reduce Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Diabetes was the cause of 1.6 million deaths globally in 2021.As such, finding ways to prevent the development of this disease may help people promote living a long life.
4. May Help Protect You from Certain Types of Cancer
Research has shown that drinking coffee may reduce the risk of certain cancers, including liver and endometrial.While drinking coffee won’t guarantee you will live your life cancer-free, it may reduce your risk of developing this condition. The antioxidants in coffee may also protect against cell damage that contributes to cancer development.
5. May Improve Your Cognitive Function and Mood
The Bottom Line
Who doesn’t want to live a long and healthy life? While there is no guarantee, there are some things you can do that may help keep that inevitable occurrence from happening too soon. And if you are a coffee lover, rejoice in knowing that sipping on your favorite afternoon pick-me-up or your must-haveperfect morning brewmay be just the ticket to helping you live a longer life.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Consequences of Obesity.Tabrizi R, Saneei P, Lankarani KB, et al.The effects of caffeine intake on weight loss: a systematic review and dos-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(16):2688-2696. doi:10.1080/10408398.2018.1507996Olechno E, Puścion-Jakubik A, Socha K, Zujko ME.Coffee Brews: Are They a Source of Macroelements in Human Nutrition?Foods. 2021;10(6):1328. doi:10.3390/foods10061328Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart Disease Facts.Rodríguez-Artalejo F, López-García E.Coffee Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease: A Condensed Review of Epidemiological Evidence and Mechanisms.J Agric Food Chem. 2018;66(21):5257-5263. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.7b04506Mendoza MF, Sulague RM, Posas-Mendoza T, Lavie CJ.Impact of coffee consumption on cardiovascular health.TOJ. 2023;23(2):152-158. doi: 10.31486/toj.22.0073World Health Organization.Diabetes.Kolb H, Martin S, Kempf K.Coffee and Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Arguments for a Causal Relationship.Nutrients. 2021;13(4):1144. doi:10.3390/nu13041144Carlström M, Larsson SC.Coffee consumption and reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes: a systematic review with meta-analysis.Nutr Rev. 2018;76(6):395-417. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuy014Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Leading Causes of Death.Zhao LG, Li ZY, Feng GS, et al.Coffee drinking and cancer risk: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of observational studies.BMC Cancer. 2020;20(1):101. doi:10.1186/s12885-020-6561-9Ősz BE, Jîtcă G, Ștefănescu RE, Pușcaș A, Tero-Vescan A, Vari CE.Caffeine and Its Antioxidant Properties-It Is All about Dose and Source.Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(21):13074. doi:10.3390/ijms232113074Londzin P, Zamora M, Kąkol B, Taborek A, Folwarczna J.Potential of Caffeine in Alzheimer’s Disease-A Review of Experimental Studies.Nutrients. 2021;13(2):537. doi:10.3390/nu13020537Ruusunen A, Lehto SM, Tolmunen T, et al.Coffee, tea and caffeine intake and the risk of severe depression in middle-aged Finnish men: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study.Public Health Nutr. 2010;13(8):1215-20. doi:10.1017/S1368980010000509
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Consequences of Obesity.Tabrizi R, Saneei P, Lankarani KB, et al.The effects of caffeine intake on weight loss: a systematic review and dos-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(16):2688-2696. doi:10.1080/10408398.2018.1507996Olechno E, Puścion-Jakubik A, Socha K, Zujko ME.Coffee Brews: Are They a Source of Macroelements in Human Nutrition?Foods. 2021;10(6):1328. doi:10.3390/foods10061328Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart Disease Facts.Rodríguez-Artalejo F, López-García E.Coffee Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease: A Condensed Review of Epidemiological Evidence and Mechanisms.J Agric Food Chem. 2018;66(21):5257-5263. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.7b04506Mendoza MF, Sulague RM, Posas-Mendoza T, Lavie CJ.Impact of coffee consumption on cardiovascular health.TOJ. 2023;23(2):152-158. doi: 10.31486/toj.22.0073World Health Organization.Diabetes.Kolb H, Martin S, Kempf K.Coffee and Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Arguments for a Causal Relationship.Nutrients. 2021;13(4):1144. doi:10.3390/nu13041144Carlström M, Larsson SC.Coffee consumption and reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes: a systematic review with meta-analysis.Nutr Rev. 2018;76(6):395-417. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuy014Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Leading Causes of Death.Zhao LG, Li ZY, Feng GS, et al.Coffee drinking and cancer risk: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of observational studies.BMC Cancer. 2020;20(1):101. doi:10.1186/s12885-020-6561-9Ősz BE, Jîtcă G, Ștefănescu RE, Pușcaș A, Tero-Vescan A, Vari CE.Caffeine and Its Antioxidant Properties-It Is All about Dose and Source.Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(21):13074. doi:10.3390/ijms232113074Londzin P, Zamora M, Kąkol B, Taborek A, Folwarczna J.Potential of Caffeine in Alzheimer’s Disease-A Review of Experimental Studies.Nutrients. 2021;13(2):537. doi:10.3390/nu13020537Ruusunen A, Lehto SM, Tolmunen T, et al.Coffee, tea and caffeine intake and the risk of severe depression in middle-aged Finnish men: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study.Public Health Nutr. 2010;13(8):1215-20. doi:10.1017/S1368980010000509
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Consequences of Obesity.Tabrizi R, Saneei P, Lankarani KB, et al.The effects of caffeine intake on weight loss: a systematic review and dos-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(16):2688-2696. doi:10.1080/10408398.2018.1507996Olechno E, Puścion-Jakubik A, Socha K, Zujko ME.Coffee Brews: Are They a Source of Macroelements in Human Nutrition?Foods. 2021;10(6):1328. doi:10.3390/foods10061328Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart Disease Facts.Rodríguez-Artalejo F, López-García E.Coffee Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease: A Condensed Review of Epidemiological Evidence and Mechanisms.J Agric Food Chem. 2018;66(21):5257-5263. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.7b04506Mendoza MF, Sulague RM, Posas-Mendoza T, Lavie CJ.Impact of coffee consumption on cardiovascular health.TOJ. 2023;23(2):152-158. doi: 10.31486/toj.22.0073World Health Organization.Diabetes.Kolb H, Martin S, Kempf K.Coffee and Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Arguments for a Causal Relationship.Nutrients. 2021;13(4):1144. doi:10.3390/nu13041144Carlström M, Larsson SC.Coffee consumption and reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes: a systematic review with meta-analysis.Nutr Rev. 2018;76(6):395-417. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuy014Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Leading Causes of Death.Zhao LG, Li ZY, Feng GS, et al.Coffee drinking and cancer risk: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of observational studies.BMC Cancer. 2020;20(1):101. doi:10.1186/s12885-020-6561-9Ősz BE, Jîtcă G, Ștefănescu RE, Pușcaș A, Tero-Vescan A, Vari CE.Caffeine and Its Antioxidant Properties-It Is All about Dose and Source.Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(21):13074. doi:10.3390/ijms232113074Londzin P, Zamora M, Kąkol B, Taborek A, Folwarczna J.Potential of Caffeine in Alzheimer’s Disease-A Review of Experimental Studies.Nutrients. 2021;13(2):537. doi:10.3390/nu13020537Ruusunen A, Lehto SM, Tolmunen T, et al.Coffee, tea and caffeine intake and the risk of severe depression in middle-aged Finnish men: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study.Public Health Nutr. 2010;13(8):1215-20. doi:10.1017/S1368980010000509
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Consequences of Obesity.
Tabrizi R, Saneei P, Lankarani KB, et al.The effects of caffeine intake on weight loss: a systematic review and dos-response meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2019;59(16):2688-2696. doi:10.1080/10408398.2018.1507996
Olechno E, Puścion-Jakubik A, Socha K, Zujko ME.Coffee Brews: Are They a Source of Macroelements in Human Nutrition?Foods. 2021;10(6):1328. doi:10.3390/foods10061328
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Heart Disease Facts.
Rodríguez-Artalejo F, López-García E.Coffee Consumption and Cardiovascular Disease: A Condensed Review of Epidemiological Evidence and Mechanisms.J Agric Food Chem. 2018;66(21):5257-5263. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.7b04506
Mendoza MF, Sulague RM, Posas-Mendoza T, Lavie CJ.Impact of coffee consumption on cardiovascular health.TOJ. 2023;23(2):152-158. doi: 10.31486/toj.22.0073
World Health Organization.Diabetes.
Kolb H, Martin S, Kempf K.Coffee and Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Arguments for a Causal Relationship.Nutrients. 2021;13(4):1144. doi:10.3390/nu13041144
Carlström M, Larsson SC.Coffee consumption and reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes: a systematic review with meta-analysis.Nutr Rev. 2018;76(6):395-417. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuy014
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Leading Causes of Death.
Zhao LG, Li ZY, Feng GS, et al.Coffee drinking and cancer risk: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of observational studies.BMC Cancer. 2020;20(1):101. doi:10.1186/s12885-020-6561-9
Ősz BE, Jîtcă G, Ștefănescu RE, Pușcaș A, Tero-Vescan A, Vari CE.Caffeine and Its Antioxidant Properties-It Is All about Dose and Source.Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(21):13074. doi:10.3390/ijms232113074
Londzin P, Zamora M, Kąkol B, Taborek A, Folwarczna J.Potential of Caffeine in Alzheimer’s Disease-A Review of Experimental Studies.Nutrients. 2021;13(2):537. doi:10.3390/nu13020537
Ruusunen A, Lehto SM, Tolmunen T, et al.Coffee, tea and caffeine intake and the risk of severe depression in middle-aged Finnish men: the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study.Public Health Nutr. 2010;13(8):1215-20. doi:10.1017/S1368980010000509
