Drinking coffee linked to healthy ageing in new study - Health

Jun 03, 2025

Talk about blends with benefits.

Coffee is a wonderful thing. What other beverage can transform you from a broken husk of a human, dragging itself towards another day in the salt mines, into a bright-eyed being that’s ready to do the hustle?

Now it turns out that coffee doesn’t just bring you to life on a gloomy Tuesday morning – it can potentially help you stay healthy for longer as you age.

Researchers from the University of Toronto in Canada analysed dietary data from more than 47,000 women who were part of the US Nurses’ Health Study – one of the world’s largest studies that investigates risk factors for major chronic health conditions in women. They found that women in their 50s who drank one to three cups of coffee a day were more likely to make it to their eighties free from major chronic diseases and with good health overall – cognitively, physically and mentally.

The researchers presented an abstract of their study findings at the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in Orlando, US, this week. The full study still needs to be submitted for peer review, but we like what we’re hearing so far.

flat white — That daily habit could serve you well as you age.

Would any caffeinated drink offer the same benefits?

Sorry, decaf fans, and commiserations to tea drinkers. The study only found that caffeinated coffee offered benefits for healthy ageing. As for Team Diet Coke? The researchers found that caffeinated sodas actually reduced the chance of healthy ageing.

Coffee doesn’t just contain caffeine. It’s also rich in a range of antioxidants and other compounds that can reduce inflammation and may help to protect against cell damage. This latest study is far from the first to highlight this magic brew’s health benefits – others have already shown that coffee can help you to live longer (even if you drink up to four cups daily).

espresso — If you don’t like coffee, there’s no need to force it down.

So should I start drinking coffee now?

If you don’t already drink coffee, there’s no need to force yourself into developing a daily habit, especially as coffee is becoming more and more expensive. There are plenty of other things you can do to support healthy ageing, including eating a nutritious, balanced diet, exercising regularly, reducing stress and limiting your intake of alcohol and junk food.