Coffee offers lifelong health benefits, but not when adding flavors or creams. (Photo by thousands of people in Shutterstock)
In a nutshell, put it in a nutshell
- Coffee drinkers who consumed 1-3 cups a day had a 15-17% lower risk of early death compared to non-coffee drinkers
- Health benefits apply only to black coffee or coffee with minimal sugar (less than 1 teaspoon per cup) and saturated fat
- Coffee drinks high in sugar and saturated fats do not show protective effects and may completely eliminate the health benefits of coffee
Medford, Massachusetts – Americans love coffee, and about half of us reach for a cup every day. And there are some news that may even make your morning brewed taste even better. While daily coffee habits may help you reduce your risk by 17% early, there is a catch that can cancel your profits.
A study tracking nearly 50,000 American adults over more than a decade Coffee drinker I lived longer than anyone who skipped the daily caffeine correction. twist? The benefits of expanding life were only seen in people who drank black coffee or coffee, which added little sugar or saturated fat. Those sweet, creamy coffee shop drinks? They did not offer measurable health advantages.
Research shows that higher levels of coffee Added sugar and Saturated fat It was not associated with a lower mortality rate. Furthermore, the advantage was not seen in people who like to brew decaff. In this study, we looked closely at what Americans actually put coffee in, and the findings raised a red flag about our sweetened coffee culture.
Nearly 50,000 Americans have been tracked over more than a decade
Researchers at Tufts University analyzed coffee drinking habits and health outcomes of 46,322 adults aged 20 and older who participated in the US government health survey between 1999 and 2018.
During that time, 7,074 participants died – starting from 1,176 cancer and from 1,089 Cardiovascular disease. Compared to non-working drinkers, coffee drinkers had significantly lower mortality rates. The biggest advantage was that people who drank 2-3 cups a day were shown, with a 17% lower risk of dying during the follow-up period. Even those who drank less than one drink a day had an 11% lower risk.
Why sweetened coffee cancels health benefits
Researchers also looked into what they came in cups of coffee. Each beverage was categorized based on the amount of sugar and saturated fat per 8 ounce serving.
Drinking Black Coffee It was associated with a 14% lower risk of all-cause death. Coffee with small amounts of sugar (less than 2.5 grams per cup) and saturated fat (less than 1 gram per cup) also showed the same 14% reduction.
However, there was no statistically significant reduction for those who drink coffee high in sugar and saturated fat. Risk of death. In the context, the average US coffee drink contains 3.24 grams of sugar and 0.52 grams of saturated fat per 8 ounce cup, suggesting that many Americans are overshooting the threshold that coffee offers health benefits.
Caffeine keys for longevity
Research published in Nutritional Journaland found that caffeinated coffee promotes most of the observed health benefits, not decaff. meanwhile Caffeine coffee As there was no clear association with longevity, caffeinated coffee was associated with a reduced risk of death from both all causes and cardiovascular disease.
It is consistent with previous studies suggesting that caffeine It may play a protective role By increasing metabolism, reducing inflammation and improving insulin sensitivity. Coffee also contains other bioactive compounds such as chlorogenic acids and polyphenols, which are thought to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Interestingly, the protective effect of coffee was observed only among those who did not drink tea. Between Drinking teathe association between coffee and longevity has disappeared, but the study does not explain why.
The basics are best
For an estimated 150 million Americans who drink coffee every day, the study offers both a bit of good news and a wake-up call. Good news: Your coffee habits may help you live longer. Reality check: If your drink contains lots of sugar, cream or flavored syrup, then your potential benefits may be lost.
The researchers adapted to a wide range of lifestyle and health variables, including age, gender, race, income, smoking, alcohol use, exercise, dietary quality, and existing conditions. Still, the association between simple coffee and low mortality is still rising.
Take it home? Basics A cup of coffeeespecially if you’ve made it black or lightly sweet, it may be one of the healthiest parts of your day. However, if the cup starts to resemble desserts and you don’t have caffeine, your health perks can disappear.
Paper overview
Methodology
Researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition rusege Survey (NHANES) conducted between 1999 and 2018, focusing on 46,322 adults aged 20 and over. They tracked coffee consumption using a detailed 24-hour meal recall based on caffeine content and sugar and saturated fat amounts, and tracked the classified coffee types. Participants were 9.3-11. Median values were tracked for 3 years and mortality data were obtained through links to the national mortality index up to December 2019.
result
During the follow-up period, 7,074 deaths occurred. 1-3 cups of coffee per day reduced the risk of all-cause mortality by 15-17%. The biggest advantage was seen at 2-3 cups (17% reduction) daily. However, mortality was limited to black coffee and coffee with low sugar additions (
limit
This study relied on 1-2 days of dietary recall, which may not capture typical long-term intake patterns. Coffee consumption correlates with a variety of lifestyle factors, and researchers have adjusted to known confounding factors, but residual confounding cannot be ruled out. This study failed to distinguish between deaths from different types of cancer by a small number and information on how to prepare coffee.
Funds and disclosure
This study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (Award No. R01MD011501). One author (FFZ) reported financial support from the NIH, while all other authors reported no conflict of interest. Funding sources also had no role in research design, data collection, analysis, or manuscript preparation.
Publication information
“Color consumption and mortality rates in adults in the US: a prospective cohort study,” by Bingjie Zhou, Mengyuan Ruan, Yongyi Pan, Lu Wang, and Fang Fang Zhang. Nutritional Journal2025. This study was revised on December 6, 2024 and April 29, 2025, and accepted on May 7, 2025.
