Drinking coffee every day 'reduces the risk of bowel cancer'

Drinking two and a half cups of coffee a day can halve your risk of developing bowel cancer

Drinking a small amount of coffee every day could significantly reduce the risk of developing bowel cancer.

According to researchers at the University of Southern California, consuming just one or two cups a day lowers the risk by up to 26 per cent,

And the risk is thought to decrease still further if it's an espresso.

“The levels of beneficial compounds per serving of coffee vary depending on the bean, roast and brewing method,” said Stephanie Schmit, the lead author of the research paper, which was published by the American Association for Cancer Research.

“The good news is that our data presents a decreased risk of colorectal cancer regardless of what flavor or form of coffee you prefer,” she said.

Bowel cancer, or colorectal cancer, is the fourth most common type of cancer in the UK.

It is not the caffeine alone in coffee which gives it its protective properties, and the same results were found with both caffeinated and decaffeinated brews.

It is thought antioxidants and other chemicals - some from the roasting process - could be the reason for the link.

While Stephen Gruber, the study’s senior author, said he would “encourage coffee lovers to revel in the strong possibility that their daily mug may lower their risk of colorectal cancer,“ he couldn’t recommend an increased coffee intake for those wanting to protect themselves from cancer.

“We need additional research before advocating for coffee consumption as a preventive measure,“ he said.

For the study, the researchers asked over 5,100 people who had been diagnosed with bowel cancer and 4,000 with no history of the disease about their coffee consumption habits.

They also gave details of other beverages they regularly drink, and other influencing factors such as family history of the disease, diet, exercise and smoking.

According to Cancer Research UK, there were more than 40,000 new cases of bowel cancer diagnosed in the UK in 2013. 57 per cent of people with bowel cancer survive the disease for 10 or more years.