Drinking two to three cups of coffee a day may be linked to a longer life.
Research suggests that, compared to coffee avoidance, it was also associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
The study results applied to ground, instant and decaffeinated versions of the drink and the researchers suggested that drinking coffee should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle.
Published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, it found the greatest risk reduction was seen with two to three cups a day.
Compared to not drinking coffee, it was associated with 14%, 27%, and 11% lower odds of death over the 12.5-year study period for decaffeinated, ground, and instant brews respectively.
Study author Professor Peter Kistler of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Research Institute, Australia, said: “In this large field of observational study, instant and decaffeinated coffee were associated with equivalent reductions in the incidence of cardiovascular disease and death from cardiovascular disease or any other cause. .
“The results suggest that light to moderate consumption of ground, instant and decaffeinated coffee should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle.”
The study investigated the links between different types of coffee and heart rhythms, cardiovascular disease and death using data from the UK Biobank study – which recruited adults between the ages of 40 and 69.
Cardiovascular disease consisted of coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure and ischemic stroke.
Professor Kistler said: “Caffeine is the best-known constituent of coffee, but the drink contains over 100 biologically active components.
“It is likely that non-caffeinated compounds are responsible for the observed positive relationships between coffee consumption, cardiovascular disease and survival.
“Our results indicate that drinking small amounts of coffee of all types should not be discouraged, but can be enjoyed as a heart-healthy behavior.”
Some 449,563 people completed a questionnaire asking them how many cups of coffee they drank each day and whether they usually drank instant, ground or decaffeinated coffee.
They were then divided into six daily intake categories, consisting of none, less than one, one, two to three, four to five or more than five cups per day.
The researchers found that 27,809 (6.2%) people died during a 12.5-year follow-up period.
While all types of coffee were associated with reduced cardiovascular disease, the lowest risk was seen in those who drank up to three cups a day.
