London, Sep 1 (IANS) Just a cup of coffee a day could keep your arteries healthy, supple and ward off heart disease, says a new study.

Researchers investigated regular coffee drinking to see if it helps people live longer. They looked at 485 people with high blood pressure (BP) or hypertension.

They were aged between 65 and 100 years, inhabiting the Greek island of Ikaria, known as the 'land of longevity'. A third of its residents are 90 years old, reports the Daily Mail.

Hypertension stiffens arteries and reduces elasticity, increasing the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes, the study said.

Study leader Christina Chrysohoou from the University of Athens found that 56 percent of people, who were moderate coffee drinkers, consuming between one and two cups a day, had the best arterial health, with their blood vessels having the elasticity of younger people.

These findings were presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Stockholm, Sweden.