Regular coffee consumption can reduce the risk of being infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus, according to research conducted by scientists at Northwestern University.
Scientists examined almost 40,000 participants in the UK Biobank, including their nutritional habits, between 2006 and 2010. The purpose was to reveal whether there is connection between the consumption of coffee, tea, processed meat, red meat, fruit, vegetables and oily fish, and the possible coronavirus contagion.
According to results published in the Nutrients journal, "habitual consumption of 1 or more cups of coffee per day was associated with about a 10 percent decrease in risk of COVID-19 compared to less than 1 cup/day."
"The odds of COVID-19 positivity were 0.90, 0.90, and 0.92 when consuming 1 cup, 2–3 cups, and 4+ cups of coffee/day (vs. <1 cup/day), respectively," the study reads.
Scientists suggest that the results could be explained by coffee’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that are able to, in part, alleviate syndromes linked to "COVID-19 severity and mortality." Experts stressed that the impact of the coffee on the disease is worthy of further investigation.
The study also analyzed the diseases' correlation with other products. In particular, the daily consumption of fresh vegetables reduces the risk of a COVID-19 coronavirus infection, while processed meat (like sausage and ham) shows the opposite effect, not linked to the meat in itself, but rather to harmful food additives.
"Although these findings warrant independent confirmation, adherence to certain dietary behaviors may be an additional tool to existing COVID-19 protection guidelines to limit the spread of this virus," the authors noted.