Daily cup of coffee can help save you from going blind
DRINKING coffee every day could help protect hundreds of thousands of Britons from going blind, research has found.
Scientists have discovered that a daily espresso, teamed with a healthy diet rich in fruit and vegetables, has a protective effect on the eyes.
They found that coffee consumption can help ward off age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in the elderly.
The debilitating condition affects 600,000 people in Britain and this number is set to increase significantly in the next few years as people live longer.
Significant
Now research has found, for the first time, that those who enjoy a “Mediterranean diet” rich in fruit and fish, teamed with a strong coffee, are less likely to suffer eye problems.
Researchers studied a group of people in Portugal to see whether sticking to the diet affected their risk of AMD.
Their findings revealed a significant reduction in risk in those who ate a Mediterranean diet, particularly among those who consumed more fruit and caffeine.
Experts at Coimbra university in Portugal studied 883 people aged 55 and over.
They found that among those who closely followed the diet, 39 per cent went on to develop AMD, in comparison to half of those who did not stick to the diet. Study author Dr Rufino Silva said coffee was a key, yet underestimated, element of the so-called Mediterranean diet.
He said participants who drank “high levels” of coffee – 78mg a day, the equivalent of one shot of espresso – were less likely to suffer AMD. Just 45 per cent of those who drank this amount a day went on to develop AMD, compared with 55 per cent of those who did not.
While caffeine is not considered part of the Mediterranean diet, consumption of drinks containing caffeine, such as coffee, is common in such countries.
The researchers looked at caffeine because it is a powerful antioxidant also known to be protective against other conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Dr David Allamby, a laser eye surgeon and medical director at London’s Focus Clinic, said: “While the debate rages about the positives and negatives of coffee, this latest research is not surprising at all.
“A cup of coffee is typically full of nutrients, such as pantothenic acid, vitamin B2, potassium and manganese, while it’s also a powerful antioxidant.
“All of this, as has been proven by the scientists in Portugal, is going to aid eye health and pushes coffee ever further towards ‘superfood’ status, although this might presently be a well-kept secret.”