Harvard researchers recently found that women who drank more than three cups of coffee per day lowered their risk of developing basal cell skin cancer by 21 percent. For men, the reduction was 10 percent. The Harvard study, which featured 112,897 adults, was published July 1, 2012 in the journal Cancer Research. 

The Skin Cancer Foundation reports there are about 2.8 million cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) each year in the United States, making it the most frequently diagnosed type of cancer. According to the foundation, “More than one out of every three new cancers are skin cancers, and the vast majority are BCCs.”

“Given the large number of newly diagnosed cases, daily dietary changes having any protective effect may have an impact on public health,” concluded Jiali Han, PhD, associate professor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. “Our results add basal cell carcinoma to a list of conditions for which risk is decreased with increasing coffee consumption.” However, the research didn’t show a link between coffee and reduced risk of the two other forms of skin cancer: melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma. 

Recently, Wellness Times reported that coffee helped lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Another study published earlier this year demonstrated that people who drink coffee live longer. Researchers speculate that the antioxidants found in coffee may be responsible for some of its disease-fighting capabilities.