The risks and benefits of coffee consumption have been the subject of much research and debate. A Korean study published in Heart now finds that consumption of specific amounts of coffee is associated with a reduced risk of arterial blockage and thus fewer heart attacks. Researchers at Samsung Hospital in Gangbuk, Seoul, examined 25,138 men and women (average age 41) who had no signs of heart disease. They investigated their dietary habits and measured the calcium concentration (CAC levels) in their arteries using CT. The average coffee consumption was 1.8 cups per day, and calcium was detected in the arteries of 13.4% of the study participants. The team compared the CAC rates in the group that did not consume any coffee with those in the group that consumed various levels of coffee. The calcium ratio was 0.77 in the group with less than 1 cup of coffee per day, 0.66 in the group with 1 to 3 cups per day, and 0.81 in the group with more than 5 cups per day. The group with the least effect on calcium concentration was the group with 3 to 5 cups of coffee per day – its ratio was 0.59. According to the authors of the study, one possible explanation for this correlation is that regular coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. risk. Diabetes, in turn, is a strong risk factor for atherosclerosis. Coffee consumption has the potential to improve insulin sensitivity, as well as beta-cell function.