Study Suggests Drinking Coffee Might Be Healthy For Arteries

There are plenty of effects people associate with drinking coffee. Obvious benefits like increased energy and alertness can easily give way to negative side effects like anxiety and frequent trips to the bathroom with overconsumption.

However, a new study from the University of Sao Paulo suggests a healthy level of coffee consumption could help keep arteries unclogged, The Telegraph reported.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Its goal was to observe the association, if any, between coffee consumption and the buildup of calcium in the arteries. Clogged arteries can cause anything from chest pain to deadly cardiovascular diseases.

More than 4,400 people participated in the study, which ultimately found a positive relationship between drinking three or more cups of coffee per day and healthier arteries. That said, it was not without caveats: The benefits were most commonly found in non-smokers, particular those who had never smoked.

The study also recommended limiting consumption to no more than three cups per day to reduce negative side effects. Coffee is one of the most widely consumed non-alcoholic beverages in the world, with Americans drinking around two cups per day. The Telegraph noted that beneficial effects have also been found when people drink non-caffeinated coffee, implying plant compounds might have more to do with positive effects than caffeine.

The University of Sao Paulo’s study was not definitive proof that coffee is good for the heart, but its results did demonstrate a positive correlation.

The study results come as the state of California ordered that coffee vendors need to include a cancer warning on the caffeinated bean beverage, due to the presence of the chemical acrylamide.