Doctor says we need to drink three cups of ‘demonised’ drink a day

Professor Tim Spector, who knows a lot about genes and health, says that a drink people often say is bad can actually help stop heart attacks and lower blood pressure. He’s a big deal at King’s College London and helps run the Zoe health app.

He chatted with coffee expert James Hoffmann on a podcast about how good this drink can be for us.

Professor Spector explained that coffee isn’t just tasty; it’s also full of important stuff our bodies need, like nutrients and even fibre. He shared some exciting news that drinking coffee might cut the risk of having a heart attack by 25%.

Plus, he’s working on some science work about coffee and tiny living things in our tummies called the gut microbiome. He thinks they work together to help keep our blood pressure and sugar levels healthy.

You can watch their whole talk if you want to know more. He mentioned: “What are the health benefits? One of the key things in coffee. It’s a complex area, but I think we’re suddenly putting it together from a drink that was demonised as being very harmful to us to something that actually could be beneficial. Coffee is this fermented plant that has microbes acting on.”

“It has hundreds, not thousands, of chemicals produced from it. There’s range of polyphenols that are enhanced by the microbes as they ferment it. And those have direct effects on our body, and some of them can reduce blood sugar and reduce stress and actually reduce blood pressure. And the studies have now clearly shown that you get nearly as much benefit on the heart with decaffeinated coffee.”

In a previous Instagram Q&A session about healthy eating and drinking habits, Prof Spector answered various questions, including how much coffee is considered healthy, the benefits of bread, and tips for finding and consuming affordable fruits and vegetables.

He said: “Coffee is a health food, and we should all be drinking at least three cups a day, according to the latest science. And it doesn’t matter if you don’t want caffeine, just have decaf. It’s probably just as healthy.

“Research has indicated that moderate coffee consumptionabout 25 cups dailyis associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver and endometrial cancers, Parkinson’s disease, and depression. It’s even possible that coffee drinkers can reduce their risk of premature death.”