Drinking coffee at a lower risk of death has been found in a new study

The average amount of sugar added per cup of sweetened coffee in the study was just over a teaspoon – much less than what is usually added to many sweet drinks in coffee chains across the country. The high caramel macchiato at Starbucks, for example, contains 25 grams of sugar, about five times as much sugar as one sweetened cup of coffee from the study.

“All bets are rejected when it comes to combining this with latte, frappuccino, super mocha, broken anything,” said Dr. Eric Goldberg, clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. These drinks are usually high in calories and fat, he said, potentially denying or at least blunting any benefits of coffee itself.

This new study is the latest in a solid line of research showing the potential health benefits of coffee, he said. Previous research has linked coffee consumption to a lower risk of Parkinson’s disease, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, liver and prostate cancer and other health problems.

Scientists don’t know exactly what makes coffee so useful, Dr. Goldberg said, but the answer may lie in its antioxidant properties, which can prevent or slow cell damage. Coffee beans contain large amounts of antioxidants, said Beth Cheruoni, a registered nutritionist at the Cleveland Clinic’s Ohio Human Nutrition Center, which can help break down free radicals that cause cell damage. Over time, the accumulation of free radicals can increase inflammation in the body, which can cause the formation of plaques associated with heart disease, she said, so nutritionists recommend consuming foods and beverages that are rich in antioxidants.

In addition, there is a possibility that coffee drinkers may tend to make healthier choices in general. They could choose a cold drink or a cup of drip coffee instead of a less healthy source of caffeine, such as an energy drink or soda, Dr. Goldberg added. “If you knock Mountain Dew or Coca-Cola, Red Bull or all these other drinks, they have tons more sugar, all artificial things – compared to coffee, which is usually unprocessed food.