Attention java junkies: Study reveals up to 3 cups of coffee a day may be good for your heart

EL PASO, Texas - Research published in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal, suggests drinking up to three cups of coffee a day may reduce heart failure risk.

We asked El Paso cardiologist Dr. Chalam Mulukutla about the study during an interview on ABC-7 at Four. "This is a follow up of over 21,000 patients over 10 years from 3 studies: Framingham Heart Study, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study and the Cardiovascular Health Study," Dr. Mulukutla said. "The risk of heart failure decreased 5-12% per cup of coffee per day. Interestingly, drinking decaf coffee increased the incidence of heart failure and was not beneficial."

Dr. Mulukutla added that drinking one or two cups of coffee a day should be enough. "Please remember that though this study states coffee is good for your heart. How much coffee and what kind of coffee was not studied or clearly defined. This study changes our idea of coffee as we never thought it was beneficial to the heart. However, too much of a good thing is never good. Moderation will be the key."