Greek coffee, which is cooked to be drunk by small sips, and where the residue should be deposited on the bottom of the mug, could be the key to longevity. It turns out to be used by the people of the island of Ikaria in the eastern Aegean Sea.
Thanks to the research conducted by Dr. Gerasimos Siasos at the University of Athens Medical School, we obtained the following evidence: while only 0.1% of the Europeans live up to 90 years or more, the figure reaches 1% on the island of Ikaria, and it is one of the highest rates of life expectancy in the world.
The results show that boiled Greek coffee, which is rich in polyphenols and antioxidants and contains only a moderate amount of caffeine, has advantages over other coffee drinks.
The team of scientists led by Dr Siasos surveyed 71 men and 71 women, aged over 65 (of 673 elderly residents) residing on the island. The parameters included blood pressure, blood sugar and other health indicators. The scientists also considered the participants’ questions about their health, lifestyle and consumption of coffee. 87% of the respondents said that they drank a cup of Greek coffee every day.
Boiled Greek coffee, rich in polyphenols and antioxidants, contains a moderate amount of caffeine and has a number of advantages over other types of drinks. This research showed the relationship between eating habits and prevention of cardiovascular diseases, which had not been studied before. According to the author of the study, Gerasimos Siasos of the University of Athens Medical School, the fact that one of the varieties of coffee has beneficial impact on health deserves attention.
The scientists’ study was published in the SAGE journal.
