Overview

• A Tufts University analysis of 46,332 US adults over 9–11 years found that drinking black or minimally sweetened coffee was associated with a 14 percent reduction in all-cause mortality compared to non-drinkers.
• The mortality benefit was absent in beverages containing high levels of added sugar or saturated fat, indicating that additives can negate coffee’s protective effects.
• Consuming two to three cups per day emerged as the optimal range for longevity benefits, in line with dietary recommendations to limit added sugars and fats.
• Drinking coffee before noon correlated with lower cardiovascular death rates, whereas afternoon or evening intake may disrupt sleep and undermine heart health.
• Authors attribute the associations to bioactive compounds such as caffeine, chlorogenic acid and polyphenols, though they acknowledge the observational design cannot confirm causation.