Moderate Coffee Drinking Good For Arteries
To live a long and healthy life, you should not miss your daily cup of coffee. In a recent Athens University study, researchers have found that coffee is good for the arteries. It helps to improve the elasticity of the blood vessels, which can reduce blood pressure levels and reduce the risk of heart diseases.
Coffee increases elasticity of arteries
The participants in the study were the elderly inhabitants of Ikaria, an island in Greece, where one in three people live long enough to enjoy their ninetieth birthday.
The elderly residents of the island are free from most diseases that plague the western world. The senior citizens of Ikaria, between 65 and 100 years of age, do not suffer from dementia or cognitive decline. Compared to the western world, people here have 20 per cent lower risk of cancers and 50 per cent lesser risk of heart diseases.
Since the 6th century, this Greek island was the hotspot of health tourism. The ancient Romans and Greeks believed that the hot springs of the island could prevent skin disorders and joint pain. Modern day researchers attribute the long and healthy lives of the people of Ikaria to the traditional Mediterranean diet.
In addition, the locally produced honey and the herbal teas of the region are blessed with immense health properties. Researchers of Athens University also believe that regular coffee intake is also responsible for the long and healthy lives of the people of Ikaria.
Coffee drinking is an integral part of Greek culture. The Athens University study, presented at the European Society of Cardiology in Stockholm, showed that the elasticity of arteries of elderly people who drank one to two cups of coffee per day is comparable to the elasticity of blood vessels in younger people.
Reduced elasticity leads to stiffness of the blood vessels, resulting in high blood pressure or hypertension. Reduction in the elasticity of arteries is one of the major causes of heart attacks. Moderate daily coffee consumption, equivalent to 25 to 50ml coffee, could significantly lower the risk of hypertension.
How coffee restores elasticity of arteries
Researchers believe that antioxidants and caffeine present in coffee might enable the blood vessels to utilize nitric oxide. In hypertension patients, improper use of nitric oxide prevents dilation of arteries. However, drinking excess coffee might negate the beneficial properties of the beverage.
