Report Suggests A Couple Cups Of Coffee A Day Could Keep Cardiovascular Disease Away

Could coffee be the key to preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD)?

A report commissioned by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee "suggests that 2-5 cups per day of coffee may reduce risk of death from CVD by just over a fifth," according to Beverage Daily.

The report includes findings from several different studies, which is important to note as the suggested amount of coffee to consume and degree of protection differs among populations worldwide. For example, two cups seems to offer optimal protection for Japanese populations, while in the U.K., three cups is best.

A meta-analysis of studies on heart attack patients found "a favorable association between habitual coffee consumption and mortality risk," and another study suggested that increased coffee consumption reduced rates for irregular and abnormally fast heart rates.

"The precise mechanisms of action behind the suggested association are unknown," the report read. "The antioxidant profile of coffee has also been proposed as a potential mechanism that might affect the association between coffee consumption and reduced CVD morality risk."