A research team led by the Kangbuck Samsung Hospital in Seoul, South Korea, who studied more than 25,000 men and women with an average age of 41 and no signs of heart disease, found that those who consume a moderate amount of coffee had the least risk of coronary calcium in their arteries.
They looked at the association between coffee and the presence of coronary artery calcium, which is an early indicator of a condition called coronary atherosclerosis, where arteries become clogged up by fatty substances known as plaques. This causes the arteries harden and narrow, leading to blood clots that can cause a stroke or heart attack.
The findings were published in the online
journal Heart, where the authors commented: "Our study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that coffee consumption might be inversely associated with cardiovascular disease risk.
"Further research is warranted to confirm our finding and establish the biological basis of coffee’s potential preventative effects on coronary artery disease."
Senior dietitian at the
British Heart Foundation, Victoria Taylor also commented: "While this study does highlight a potential link between coffee consumption and lower risk of developing clogged arteries, more research is needed to confirm these findings and understand what the reason is for the association."
While the findings are definitely not a reason to go increasing your coffee intake, they're enough for me not to give up that early morning (and mid-afternoon) latte. For now, anyway.
