
If you’re over 60 and savoring your morning coffee, there’s good news brewing: that daily ritual might be doing more than just waking you up—it could be helping you live longer.
A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that drinking one to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day is linked to a significantly lower risk of death from all causes. But there’s a catch: the benefits drop off if you overload it with cream and sugar.
Researchers at Tufts University reviewed diet and health data from over 46,000 adults between 1999 and 2018. They discovered that seniors who drank their coffee with minimal additives—think black or with just half a teaspoon of sugar and a splash of light cream—saw the most dramatic benefits. In fact, consuming coffee this way was linked to a 14–17% lower risk of early death.
But more isn’t always better. Those drinking over three cups per day didn’t see additional protection, and the heart-health benefits actually diminished. And surprisingly, decaf coffee didn’t offer the same mortality benefits, possibly because fewer participants drank it regularly.
So why does coffee help? Experts believe that the drink’s bioactive compounds—such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents—play a key role in reducing age-related decline and frailty.
Enjoy your coffee. For older adults, a few cups of lightly sweetened, moderately creamed, caffeinated coffee may be a simple and enjoyable way to support long-term health. Just skip the double whip, sugar-loaded concoctions.