A new study found that drinking a moderate amount of coffee—roughly 1 to 4 cups a day—resulted in a reduced risk of death from any cause by about 20%-30%. The study followed over 170,000 people with an average age of 55 years over a 7-year period.

Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages, and there is longstanding interest in understanding its health effects. According to a 2022 estimate, Americans drink 517 million cups of coffee per day, and 66% of Americans surveyed reported drinking coffee within the past day. Besides keeping you alert and awake, coffee has been linked to an increasing number of potential health benefits, including protection against liver and colon cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease.

According to a one study, coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the U.S. diet. Antioxidants in general have been linked to a number of potential health benefits, including protection against heart disease and cancer. The study analyzed the antioxidant content of more than 100 different food items, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, spices, oils and common beverages. They compared the data to an existing U.S. Department of Agriculture database on the contribution of each type of food item to the average estimated U.S. per capita consumption. “Americans get more of their antioxidants from coffee than any other dietary source. Nothing else comes close,” says study leader Joe Vinson, Ph.D.

I am generally somewhat sceptical of reports that any one food is going to make a big difference in your overall health and longevity. But, in this case, with coffee being consumed in such high amounts and on such a regular basis—and given its high antioxidant properties—it makes sense. I already was drinking about 2 large mugs of coffee per day, without thinking it was good for me. I will definitely continue—and will feel much better about it. It wasn’t too long ago that drinking coffee was considered a vice or a bad habit. The jury is still out on coffee-based drinks that have a high fat or sugar content such as flavored lattes or frappuccinos. But overall, if you want to improve your health and longevity, you should do what most Americans are doing already: make drinking coffee a daily habit.