Does drinking more coffee really make you live longer?

Atlantic Magazine reports that “According to research published in the  New England Journal of Medicine, people who drank four or five cups of coffee a day tended to live longer than those who drank only a cup or less. The benefit was more pronounced for women, but men also stand to gain somewhat from pounding joe.” The ideal amount appeared to be between four and five cups a day.

However, like all studies – especially non-clinical ones such as this – there are some caveats. First, people who drink coffee tend to die sooner than non-coffee drinkers. That’s because coffee consumption is often linked with other unhealthy behaviors like smoking. And second, since this is just an observational trial, there’s no proven cause and effect.

So while you may not have to take this report with a grain of salt, at least take it with a lump of sugar.