Coffee has been touted to have many health benefits just this year through many health studies. a new study has suggested drinking three to five cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of clogged arteries and heart attacks. Published in the journal, Heart, researchers analyzed almost 26,000 people and measured their calcium levels in the coronary arteries, seeking a any correlation between coffee consumption habits. 

Many experts state that the effect of coffee consumption on cardiovascular health has remained controversial. This was shown after a recent analysis of 36 studies that showed moderate coffee consumption was linked to a decreased risk of heart disease and other research has made associations with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. 

Researchers led by the Kangbuk Samsung Hospital in Seoul, Korean Republic, analyzed participants attending a regular health screening, including food frequency questionnaires and CT scanning to determine coronary artery calcium. The participants had an average age of 41 and no signs of heart disease.

Coffee consumption was categorized into the following groups:

• No coffee consumed
• Less than one cup a day
• 1-3 cups a day
• 3-5 cups a day
• Five or more cups a day.

What they found was the prevalence of detectable coronary artery calcium was 13.4%. The average coffee consumption was 1.8 cups a day. Researchers observed the following calcium ratios for each group:

• Less than one cup a day: 0.77
• 1-3 cups a day: 0.66
• 3-5 cups a day: 0.59
• Five or more cups a day: 0.81.

Researchers concluded that these findings add to the growing evidence that shows coffee consumption might help decrease the risk of heart disease, in particular the claims of coffee's positive affect on the risk of type 2 diabetes.