- Staying hydrated is essential for overall health, so people are advised to drink plenty of water each day.
- However, a new study suggests that incorporating coffee and tea into your daily drink intake may give additional health benefits.
- The study found that, provided overall liquid intake was adequate, a balanced intake of coffee and tea was associated with a lower risk of death from all causes.
Drinking sufficient water is essential for overall health, as people need to maintain a fluid balance, or homeostasis, to maintain bodily functions. However, that water does not only have to come from the ubiquitous water bottle — other drinks and food can provide a good proportion of your daily needs.
Now, researchers have found that replacing some of your daily water with coffee and tea could lead to longer life.
In the study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, researchers found that to see benefits, people had to drink 7-8 drinks a day, and a balance of coffee, tea and water.
Eamon Laird, PhD, lecturer in human nutrition at Atlantic Technological University, Sligo, Ireland, who was not involved in this research, told Medical News Today that:
“This is an interesting well designed observational study. It used an extremely large sample number with a series of multiple 24-hour recalls. Strengths include taking into account lifestyle factors, health conditions as well as other dietary components such as fruit and vegetables and meat intakes.“
Laird also issued some caveats, however, saying that “the methodology is acceptable, though there are some significant limitations.“
“Firstly, 24-hour recalls are subject to limitations including accuracy of people’s memory, the potential for selection bias giving researchers the ‘correct’ answers the participants think, plus details are often lacking including specific brands and quantities used,” he cautioned.
The researchers used data from 182,770 adults registered in the UK Biobank. Participants had filled in several 24-hour dietary recall questionnaires, from which researchers worked out their typical daily intake of coffee, tea and plain water.
Researchers followed up the participants for around 13 years, during which time they recorded incidences of disease, and cause of death for any who died within the follow up time.
People who had 7-8 drinks a day, and a combination of coffee, tea and plain water had a 28% lower risk of death from any cause than those who drank fewer than 4 drinks a day, they found.
Thomas M. Holland, MD, MS, a physician-scientist and instructor at the RUSH Institute for Healthy Aging, Rush Medical College, who was not involved in this study, called the results intuitive and intriguing.
“People who consumed about 7 to 8 total drinks per day, including coffee, tea, and water, had the lowest overall mortality risk. More strikingly, the most protective mix wasn’t all one beverage, it was a balanced blend, roughly a 2:3 ratio of coffee to tea,” Holland told MNT.
“That combination was linked to the lowest risk of death from all causes and several major diseases, including heart and digestive conditions. In other words, it’s not just what we drink but how we balance those choices that may matter most,” he added.
“Hydration absolutely remains the foundation for Health,“ Holland emphasized. “Every cell in the body depends on water to function, supporting metabolism, temperature regulation, and nutrient transport.“
“Yet this study highlights something important: As with food, the quality of our fluids counts, too,” he said.
The study authors highlighted that the most important takeaway from their research is that people should aim to have at least 7-8 drinks each day to ensure adequate hydration. However, those who balanced plain water with coffee and tea in a 2:3 ratio had the greatest reduction in mortality risk.
Laird told MNT that, while the findings were interesting and suggested a link, we need to consider finer details, such as how the teas and coffees were prepared, whether milk or cream were added, and what types of tea and coffee were used.
He added:
“Could coffee and tea intakes be a marker for something else? For instance are some people swapping out sugary drinks or alcohol for tea and coffee which would be a healthier choice? Or maybe people who drink more tea and coffee are more well off and do physical activity and have better access to healthcare? These are some of things we need more data on to try and see the true relationship.”
A 2021 review of studies that looked into the health effects of coffee concluded that up to 4 cups a day was safe and could confer benefits, such as preventing inflammatory and oxidative stress-related diseases, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes.
They also noted that drinking coffee was associated with a reduced incidence of several cancers and a reduction in death from all causes.
However, like the current study, most of their evidence was observational, so cannot prove a causative effect.
Tea drinking has long been associated with health benefits. It may help to prevent cardiovascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease, as well as having anti-aging effects, and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Holland explained:
“Coffee contains compounds like flavonoids, chlorogenic acids, and trigonelline, all of which may improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation. Tea also contributes catechins and other flavonoids, which support vascular function and help maintain healthy blood vessels. Together, these beverages have the potential to act synergistically, each amplifying the other’s benefits.“
The researchers cautioned, however, that there was no additional benefit from drinking extra coffee and tea once the 7-8 drinks a day was achieved. Above 9 drinks a day, the additional caffeine from more coffee and tea increased cardiovascular risk.
Holland advised that too much caffeine can raise blood pressure, quicken the heart rate, and interfere with mineral absorption, adding that, “in general terms, the sweet spot appears to be around seven to eight total drinks per day, with a mix of all three beverages.“
“It’s a pattern that prioritizes hydration while layering in the biological benefits of coffee and tea’s plant compounds. Imagine two mugs of coffee in the morning, tea through the day, and water along the way, a simple rhythm of hydration and health that fits seamlessly into most daily routines,” he told us.
And Laird cautioned that there could be other health risks from over consumption.
“Tea drinkers consuming tea from plastic-based tea bags face increased risk of exposure to billions of microplastic and nanoplastic particles released into the beverage when brewed in hot water,“ he said. “For coffee, a substance called acrylamide naturally forms during the Maillard reaction when coffee beans are roasted at high temperatures which in high amounts is carcinogenic.“
“Thus as always in nutrition, it is about moderation,” Laird concluded.
