Women, women…is coffee good or bad for you? I going to tell you something that just might perk you up: A cup of coffee a day may keep stroke away. Perky? Good. Check it:
A recent Swedish study found that women who drank at least one cup of coffee per day had a 22-25% lower risk of stroke than women that drank less or no coffee at all. Researchers followed 34,670 Swedish women, ages 49 to 83, for about 10 years. They logged the womens’ coffee consumption habits and then checked hospital records to see how many had a stroke after ten years. Other risk factors like smoking, weight, high blood pressure and diabetes were adjusted for, coffee drinkers still came out ahead. Now how’s that for a little boost?
Some doctors warn, however, that this study only proves correlation and not cause. But I say run with it: If you enjoy coffee, drink away. No studies have been able to link any negative health effects to drinking a couple cups o’ Joe a day, so you’ve got nothing to lose. If coffee does in fact offer some protective effects against stroke (it’s a vasoconstrictor, you know), then it’s worth the coffee breath, ladies.