The Tamesis
What are you drinking as you read this? coffee? Tea? water? The drinks you choose throughout the day can impact your life expectancy, and apparently, the combination of these drinks may even be elite.
A large-scale, long-term study from the University of Cambridge shows that this drink combination actually plays a role in long-term health.
A beverage study surveyed more than 180,000 adults over 13 years
The study looked at 180,000 adults in the UK over 13 years and compared drinking habits with overall mortality and the risk of certain diseases. Each participant provided information about their daily coffee, tea, and water consumption, as well as other lifestyle habits and health history. The results: People who divided their daily fluid intake into several beverages (especially water, coffee and tea) had a lower risk of death than those who drank mainly one beverage. The optimal ratio of coffee to tea is two cups of coffee for every three cups of tea, meaning that if you’ve already had one of these and want another, have a cup of tea next.
One pattern that stands out in particular is drinking coffee and tea together. Combined with adequate amounts of water in moderation, this combination was most common among participants with the best long-term health benefits. Above all, the decisive factor here is balance: neither too much coffee nor just water or tea, but a mixture throughout the day.
What factors really determine the drink mix?
The study’s authors emphasize that the results are based on observation. This means they show a correlation but cannot prove any direct cause. Nonetheless, the results are very consistent with what we already know. Coffee and tea provide natural plant matter, while water supports essential processes in the body. Together, they ensure the body is well hydrated while benefiting from substances like antioxidants in coffee and tea, which studies have linked to anti-inflammatory effects, better blood vessel function, and a more stable metabolism—all factors that have also been linked to life expectancy in the long term.
Of particular note is that drinking water alone does not automatically correlate with optimal results. While adequate hydration remains an important foundation for good health, analysis shows that water is especially beneficial when it is part of a variety of beverage patterns.
