A new study based on UK Biobank data, published 29 June 2026 in the European Journal of Nutrition, finds that the heart-health benefits of coffee and tea depend heavily on sugar. Researchers followed 167,142 participants free of cardiovascular disease at baseline for a median of 11.1 years, during which 14,395 of them developed one.
Those drinking 2-3 cups of unsweetened coffee a day had a 19% lower risk, and 3-5 cups still showed a 14% lower risk; beyond that, the benefit disappeared. Sweetened coffee, by contrast, showed no protective link at any intake level. The same pattern held for tea: unsweetened tea was associated with lower risk, while heavy intake of sweetened tea was linked to higher risk.
The authors, based in China and the US, conclude that sugar and sweetener use should be factored in when weighing the cardiovascular relevance of coffee and tea — one more reason to enjoy tea plain.
Source: Daily Coffee News