This Morning Routine Could Cut Your Risk of Diabetes in Half

Scientists tracked 300,000 people and found a link you can’t afford to ignore.

Discover How Coffee and Tea Could Protect Your Heart

You may often wonder whether your favorite drinks are helping or harming your health. The good news is that when it comes to coffee and tea, research now shows that these popular beverages might actually reduce your risk of heart disease and other serious conditions.

Researchers from China and Sweden, using health data from over 300,000 participants in the UK Biobank, found that regular caffeine intake from coffee or tea is linked to a lower risk of several cardiometabolic disorders. These include hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. If you have two or more of these conditions at once, your risk of death more than doubles. But consuming caffeine daily could help prevent that.

If you drink three or more cups of coffee or five or more cups of tea each day, you could reduce your risk of developing two or more cardiometabolic diseases by over 40%. As the study notes, "The findings highlight that promoting moderate amounts of coffee or caffeine intake as a dietary habit to healthy people might have far-reaching benefits for the prevention of cardiometabolic multimorbidity," according to lead researcher Xujia Lu from Soochow University.

Previous studies have already suggested that coffee improves cardiovascular and neurological health, especially at around three and a half cups per day. This new research confirms that amount is likely optimal for heart health protection.

In this study, 172,315 participants who had no cardiometabolic disease at the beginning were followed for heart health outcomes. Another group of 188,091 was analyzed specifically to see the effect of coffee and tea. Their health was tracked for an average of 11 years.

Both coffee and tea drinkers showed better heart health outcomes than non-drinkers, regardless of how much they consumed. However, those who consumed moderate amounts of caffeine had the lowest risk of developing multiple diseases. Blood tests from a subset of participants even revealed lower cholesterol and improved insulin resistance among caffeine drinkers.

A closer analysis revealed that drinking 3 cups of coffee daily was linked to a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes first, followed by coronary heart disease. Similarly, 5 cups of tea a day was associated with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes progressing to either coronary heart disease or stroke.

These findings still need to be validated through additional research, but they offer strong evidence that moderate caffeine intake may provide cardiovascular protection regardless of your age, gender, smoking habits, exercise level, or general diet.

The researchers believe the metabolites found in this study could help unlock how caffeine supports heart health, stating they will "provide clues" to the biological mechanisms behind caffeine’s potential.

Your Call to Action for Coffee and Tea Benefits for Heart Health

If you already enjoy coffee or tea, you now have another reason to keep sipping. Aim for three or more cups of coffee or five or more cups of tea daily to possibly protect your heart from serious cardiometabolic diseases. Keep the rest of your diet balanced, stay active, and avoid excessive sugar in your beverages. By integrating moderate caffeine consumption into your lifestyle, you could significantly lower your risk of conditions like diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.

Study Links: