I don't agree with all the negative hype over coffee and I can certainly think of plenty of things that are far worse on the body than it.

Not surprisingly, I came across this (the largest and longest) study supporting coffee consumption as a possible way to help prevent heart disease.

The new study is not the first to connect coffee drinking with good health. Over the years, other research has linked coffee consumption with lower rates of heart attack, liver cancer and diabetes...

...After accounting for other factors such as smoking and obesity, the researchers found that women who drank four to five cups of coffee per day were 26% less likely to die from any cause. Men who put down more than five cups of coffee per day were 35% less likely to die.

"The more coffee you drink the less risk of mortality you have," Lopez-Garcia says.

However, her team noticed an even more dramatic effect in deaths caused by cardiovascular disease. She speculates that anti-inflammatory compounds found in coffee may be responsible for its apparent health benefits.

This is in spite of high levels of caffeine, which might increase the chances of suffering a heart attack by raising blood pressure. "Our hypothesis is that caffeine has a short term effect, but in the longer term, [other aspects of coffee are] more important," she says.

I support the moderate consumption of coffee and tea to help curb one's appetite, stoke your fat burning fires (especially in the a.m. when coupled with exercise) and boost your energy throughout the day. It's also been linked to improving cognitive abilities and fighting skin cancer.

Not to mention, it is one of my favorite comfort foods.

Just be careful not to introduce too much caffeine suddenly or you may experience adverse reactions such as caffeine jitters, nervousness, or (if overindulgence is your game) heart fluttering.