Food & Function: Tea and Coffee Improve Lung Function

Scientists from Edith Cowan University have found that moderate consumption of tea and coffee is associated with better lung function and a lower risk of chronic respiratory diseases. The study results were published in the journal Food & Function.

The analysis included nearly 367,000 participants from the UK Biobank project. Researchers compared beverage consumption data with measures of lung function—forced expiratory volume and vital capacity—levels of systemic inflammation, and the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.

Dietary intake was assessed using both questionnaires and repeated 24-hour dietary recalls, allowing researchers to better estimate actual consumption levels. The results showed that low to moderate intake—approximately half a cup to two cups of tea or coffee per day—was associated with higher lung function indicators, lower inflammation levels, and a reduced risk of COPD. For coffee, an additional association was found with a lower likelihood of developing asthma in adults.

In separate analyses, high tea consumption was linked to an increased risk of COPD among people who had never smoked; however, this association disappeared after excluding participants who already had respiratory symptoms. No similar effect was observed for coffee.

The authors emphasize that moderation is the key factor. According to them, tea and coffee can be part of a healthy diet, but consuming amounts beyond moderate levels does not enhance any potential protective effect and may reflect confounding factors—primarily smoking or changes in habits among people with declining health.

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