Coffee Is Healthy, and Researchers Have Now Found How It May Help Prolong Life
5 things you may not have known about coffee / “Do Not Miss” editorial team
Coffee is one of the most popular drinks in the world. In the United States, for example, it has even overtaken beverages such as tea, juices and bottled water in consumption rates. In recent years, evidence has accumulated that regular coffee drinking is linked to a lower risk of heart disease and all-cause mortality. Now, researchers believe they better understand why.
In a new study published in the scientific journal Nutrients, researchers from the Texas A&M University research center examined the effects of different compounds in coffee on biological processes in the body. The findings showed that certain compounds in coffee activate a receptor called NR4A1, a protein found inside body cells that affects the body’s response to stress, inflammation, disease and aging processes.
According to the researchers, the receptor functions as a kind of “nutritional sensor” that responds to substances we consume in food and drinks. It is involved in vital processes such as regulating inflammation, metabolism and repairing damaged tissue.
Iced coffee / ShutterStock
Is it all about caffeine?
“This receptor helps the body deal with damage in various tissues,” explained Prof. Steven Saif, one of the study leaders. “When its activity is impaired, tissue damage may be more significant.”
One of the biggest surprises in the study is that caffeine itself is apparently not the ingredient responsible for most of coffee’s health benefits. The researchers found that antioxidant compounds from the polyphenol group and caffeic acid, which are naturally found in coffee beans, are what activate the receptor most effectively. According to the findings, these compounds may help reduce cell damage, curb inflammatory processes and even slow the growth rate of cancer cells.
However, it is important to emphasize that these effects have so far been observed only in laboratory models and have not yet been proven in humans.
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Can coffee really help you live longer?
The researchers stress that this is likely only one of the mechanisms through which coffee affects health. Coffee contains hundreds of biologically active components, and many of them may work together to create the protective effect observed in epidemiological studies.
According to them, understanding the activity of the NR4A1 receptor may in the future help develop new drugs for various diseases, including certain types of cancer and age-related illnesses.
So how much coffee should you drink?
Despite the encouraging findings, experts remind the public that coffee should not be seen as a miracle cure. Most studies indicate that moderate coffee consumption, usually between two and four cups a day, is associated with the greatest health benefits. In addition, it is worth remembering that coffee drinks high in sugar, cream and sweet toppings may cancel out some of the health benefits.
