Coffee lovers, your daily brew just got even better — and healthier — especially if you like it black!
A fascinating new study out of Tufts University, published in The Journal of Nutrition, reveals that drinking black coffee (or coffee with only a tiny bit of cream and sugar) is linked to a lower risk of death from all causes — including heart disease.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 46,000 adults over nearly two decades and found that drinking one to three cups of black coffee a day could reduce the risk of death by up to 17%.
The health boost fades when you load up on sugar and cream. In fact, those who added higher levels of sweeteners or saturated fats didn’t enjoy the same mortality-lowering perks. So that vanilla mocha caramel whip might taste divine — but your heart’s not exactly thanking you for it.
“As nearly half of American adults report drinking at least one cup per day, it’s important for us to know what it might mean for health,” said study senior author Professor Fang Fang Zhang. “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 benefits.”
The study defined “low” additives pretty precisely: just half a teaspoon of sugar or a splash of milk/cream in your 8-ounce cup. More than that? You’re likely sipping away the benefits.
And before you switch to decaf for health, know this: the study didn’t find strong links between decaf and longevity, likely because most participants simply didn’t drink it often enough to see effects.
What makes this truly noteworthy is the clarity: it’s not just coffee, but how you drink it that counts. Coffee alone has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, but when drowned in sugar and fat, those superpowers seem to vanish.
“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 benefits.” — Prof. Fang Fang Zhang, Tufts University
So if you’re brewing with longevity in mind, keep it simple. Black is not only bold — it might just help you live longer.
Craving more info on how your morning routine could extend your life? Check out the full article for all the bean-to-heart details!
