Drinking coffee may actually help protect alcohol drinkers from liver disease.

Cirrhosis is a condition, often caused by heavy drinking, that destroys liver tissue.

Research has found that every cup of coffee drunk daily reduced the incidence of cirrhosis by 22 percent.

A study last year revealed that people at high risk for liver disease were half as likely to be hospitalized if they were coffee drinkers.

It's not clear what components in coffee might have a direct affect on the live, so more research is necessary.

The researchers are quick to point out that their findings aren't a license to drink without worry because heavy drinking is associated with a lot more medical problems than liver disease.