LONDON, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Finding yourself short of an excuse to ask someone out for coffee? Scientists at York University just came up with a good one: coffee reduces cardiac damage done by heart attacks.

The new finding suggests that patients who drink one to two cups of coffee are 20 percent less likely to die prematurely from heart damage than those who don't drink coffee.

In other words, coffee can help heal the heart after heart attacks, and lower the chances of another heart attack.

But the scientists also pointed out that consuming coffee in moderation is important.

The popular beverage was once considered a health hazard, but recent research has found that coffee is actually good for health, as it helps prevent liver cancer, Alzheimer's disease and strokes.