A daily cup of coffee could actually protect the heart, rather than harm it, according to a surprising new study.

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco found that people who drank one cup of coffee or an espresso each day had a 39 per cent lower risk of developing atrial fibrillation — a common heart rhythm disorder that can lead to stroke and heart failure.

The findings challenge long-held medical advice that heart patients should avoid caffeine for fear it might trigger palpitations or irregular beats.

The trial followed 200 coffee drinkers with persistent atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, all scheduled for electrical cardioversion — a procedure that restores a normal heart rhythm.

Participants were split into two groups: one abstained from caffeine for six

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