Something Something Science Something Coffee Something Something Healthy

Listen, here’s the deal: coffee is good for you. You know it, I know it, anyone who’s read a pop-science article about coffee knows it. The health benefits of coffee as well as the acceptable daily intake—it’s four cups—are not in question, by the scientific community or the layperson. (Unless you are one of those people who believes science has a “liberal agenda” or thinks that, oh I don’t know, wearing a mask isn’t necessary because leading scientists originally said not to and then changed their recommendations based upon new evidence, also known as EXACTLY HOW SCIENCE WORKS.)

So it isn’t exactly breaking when another study reconfirms that coffee is good for you, but I think we could all use a little good news these days so let’s take the easy win when it presents itself to us.

Good news! New research suggests that coffee is good for you!

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Published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine, Coffee, Caffeine, and Health is metastudy of previously published research on the healthfulness of coffee consumption. For the study, authors Rob M. van Dam, Ph.D., Frank B. Hu, MD, Ph.D., and Walter C. Willett, MD, DrPH examine 95 different studies—all of which I assume they found by doing a quick search for “science” on Sprudge—to “to assess what we currently know about the health effects of coffee,” per Insider.

In their study, van Dam et al found the benefits of coffee to be many. As noted by Insider, the positive effects of coffee consumption include a lower risk of obesity, increased mental focus, a decreased risk of Parkinson’s, lower instances of depression and suicide, lower risks of “many chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, liver disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer,” and a decreased risk of skin cancer.

Researchers weren’t able to confirm what exactly is the cause of the many health benefits associated with drinking coffee, but leading candidates include caffeine (duh) and polyphenols, “which could reduce inflammation, improve gut bacteria, boost metabolism, and moderate blood sugar.”

Overall, as noted by Insider, coffee drinkers just plain live longer.

Ultimately, this and other studies have found that, if ever a panacea were to exist, coffee would be it. And I’m just the sort of snake oil salesman to peddle it. Have I ever told you about all the many and wondrous uses of coffee byproducts?

Zac Cadwalader is the managing editor at Sprudge Media Network and a staff writer based in Dallas. Read more Zac Cadwalader on Sprudge.