Food Science & Nutrition: Instant coffee may negatively affect eye health in older people, study shows 

Regular consumption of instant coffee is associated with an increased risk of vision impairment in old age, researchers from Hubei University (China) have found. The findings of their respective study were published in the journal Food Science & Nutrition.

The aforesaid researchers analyzed data from the UK Biobank, a large medical project that collects information on the health and habits of more than half a million people. Particular attention was paid to what type of coffee the participants preferred—instant, ground, or decaffeinated.

It turned out that only those who drank instant coffee had an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration. This is an eye disease in which the retina’s central part—the “macula”—, which is responsible for clear vision, is damaged. Macular degeneration can develop gradually and, in severe cases, lead to blindness.

According to researchers, the negative effects of instant coffee are related to its production. During heat treatment, harmful substances can form in it, including acrylamide, a potentially toxic compound that can damage nerve cells, including visual ones.

In addition, instant coffee may contain oxidized fats and chemical additives that are used to dry and restore the drink. Traditionally prepared ground coffee contains considerably less of these compounds.

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