Drinking More Coffee and Green Tea Linked to Lower Death Risk

If you’re trying to live longer and dodge serious illness, you’ve likely wondered whether your daily coffee or tea habit helps—or hurts. A major long-term study out of Japan now offers solid numbers on just how much your morning cup could affect your lifespan.

The short answer? Drinking three to four cups of coffee per day was linked to a 24% lower risk of death, while having five or more cups of green tea daily reduced death risk by up to 17% in women and 13% in men over nearly two decades of follow-up.

What the 19-Year Japanese Study Found

Published by the National Cancer Center in Japan, this research tracked participants for 19 years. Researchers divided subjects into groups based on how much green tea and coffee they drank daily. For green tea, the baseline was less than one cup per day. For coffee, the baseline group was those who drank almost none.

Results showed a clear pattern: the more green tea people consumed, the lower their overall death risk tended to be. The same held true for coffee—but with different optimal amounts and causes of death impacted.

Green Tea: More Cups, Lower Risk—Especially for Heart Disease

Compared to those drinking less than one cup of green tea daily, men who drank five or more cups had a 13% lower risk of death, and women in the same group had a 17% lower risk. This protective effect increased alongside higher consumption levels.

Green tea didn’t show a significant impact on cancer-related deaths. But it did significantly reduce the risk of dying from heart disease. For men, drinking green tea long-term also lowered the risk of death from cerebrovascular (stroke-related) and respiratory diseases.

Researchers suggest that catechins—especially epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG—are likely behind these effects. These compounds in green tea are thought to improve blood pressure, reduce body fat, and positively influence lipid profiles.

Coffee: 3–4 Cups Daily = Biggest Drop in Death Risk

The coffee findings were grouped into five categories, from “almost no coffee” up to five or more cups per day. Compared to non-coffee drinkers, those who drank three to four cups daily saw the greatest reduction in death risk: 24% lower.

Coffee consumption was also associated with reduced risks of death from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Unlike green tea, there was no significant breakdown by gender in the coffee data, nor was cancer risk meaningfully affected.

While the study didn’t isolate specific compounds, previous research often points to antioxidants like chlorogenic acids and caffeine’s role in metabolic and cardiovascular function as potential contributors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cups of green tea per day reduced death risk the most in the study?

Drinking five or more cups of green tea per day was associated with the lowest death risk. Women in this group had a 17% lower risk, and men had a 13% lower risk compared to those drinking less than one cup per day.

Did the study find any benefit in drinking green tea for cancer prevention?

No, the study did not find that drinking green tea reduced the risk of death from cancer. However, it did show benefits for reducing death from heart disease, stroke, and respiratory conditions—especially in men.

What amount of coffee had the strongest life-extending effect?

The group that drank three to four cups of coffee per day had the greatest reduction in death risk—24% lower than those who drank almost no coffee. This benefit included lower risks from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

Does the study show different results for men and women?

Yes. Women who drank five or more cups of green tea daily saw a 17% lower death risk, while men in the same group saw a 13% reduction. For coffee, the 24% lower death risk with 3–4 cups applied broadly without a gender breakdown.

Which diseases saw the biggest risk reductions from coffee and green tea?

For green tea, the clearest benefit was seen in heart disease deaths. Coffee was strongly linked to lower risks of death from both cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Neither showed significant impact on cancer mortality.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Coffee Lovers

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