Daily coffee consumption reduces the risk of death - how much should you drink?

Coffee lovers triumph: A new study links moderate coffee consumption to a lower risk of death. However, there is an optimal amount you should drink to reap the benefits and reduce your risks.

Some people are hooked on the taste. Others need a boost of energy in the morning. Regardless of why you choose to drink coffee, a new study backs that decision up. Moderate consumption of unsweetened and sugar-sweetened coffee is associated with a lower risk of death.

Of course, this discovery comes with an important caveat: How much you drink matters. Two to four cups a day was thought to be the amount usually associated with a reduced risk of death. The association with a lower risk of death is fairly consistent with consumption of about three or more cups of unsweetened coffee per day.

It is advisable not to overdo it with sugar-sweetened coffee, because at the above-mentioned doses there is an increased risk of mortality.

Regular, moderate consumption of coffee does not appear to be harmful to most people and may probably provide some health benefits.