The historically bad no good year that was 2020 is mercifully in the books and 2021 is looking a little brighter. If turning the page to begin a new arbitrarily-assigned collection of days has given you a newfound vigor and desire to live your best, longest life, then maybe do what science says and have yourself an espresso.
In a new study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Italian researchers observed a link between consuming “Italian-style coffee” (because of course that’s how Italians would refer to espresso) and “lower risks of all-cause and, specifically, of [cardiovascular disease] mortality.”
Per Yahoo, researchers followed for an eight-year period 20,487 individuals with no cardiovascular disease (CVD) or cancer at the beginning of the study. Each of the participants also drank at least 30ml of espresso each day—roughly the size of a ristretto, because again, Italy. Participants’ dietary information was also considered in the study, and when compared to non-espresso consumers, the study’s participants had between 15% and 28% instances of all-call mortality based on the average number of coffees consumed daily, with the low end being those who drank 4+ espressos and the high end being those who consumed 3-4 daily.
Researchers believe the positive outcomes could be associated with NTproBNP, a peptide found in the body that “likely mediates the relationship between coffee intake and all-cause mortality.”
New year, new you. Do what the scientists tell you and go grab yourself a life-prolonging espresso. Or, do what the other scientists tell you and drink filter coffee. It’s better for your heart, you know.
Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.
Top image via Where To Drink Coffee In Kyoto, Japan by Eric Tessier
