A Cup of Coffee a Day Keeps the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Away

This is most likely because coffee contains bioactive components such as polyphenols, which are naturally occurring plant micro-nutrients. Bioactive components are minute amounts of compounds found in plants and certain foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils, and whole grains, that may support good health (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Neuroprotective Effects of Coffee Bioactive Compounds: A Review

).

This widely used beverage appears to lower the incidence of type 2 diabetes in the general population. However, whether it is also advantageous for women with gestational diabetes is unknown.

The frequency of type 2 diabetes is expected to rise further, and one in every three Singaporeans is at risk of having diabetes over their lifetime. Several early-life cardiometabolic problems necessitate identifying high-risk individuals and implementing diabetes prevention interventions.

Women who had diabetes during pregnancy, also known as gestational diabetes mellitus or gestational diabetes, are among the high-risk populations. These women may be ten times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than the average healthy female population.

Professor Cuilin Zhang, Director of the Global Centre for Asian Women’s Health (GloW) and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), and her GloW team looked into the role of long-term coffee consumption after a complicated pregnancy.

The team further examined coffee consumption and type 2 diabetes by replacing commonly consumed sugary drinks with coffee. Findings from this study, “Habitual coffee consumption and subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals with a history of gestational diabetes—a prospective study,” were recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

For over 25 years, the researchers studied the associations between long-term coffee consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes in over 4,500 mostly white female participants with a history of gestational diabetes.

Decaffeinated coffee was not linked to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in their study. However, this null finding could be attributed to the study’s inability to detect a meaningful connection due to the very small number of women who consumed decaffeinated coffee.

More crucially, substituting caffeinated coffee for artificially sweetened and sugar-sweetened beverages reduces the risk by 10% for artificially sweetened beverages and 17% for sugar-sweetened beverages.

“Thus far, the overall findings suggest that caffeinated coffee, when consumed properly (two to five cups per day, without sugar and whole-fat or high-fat dairy), could be incorporated into a relatively healthy lifestyle for certain populations,” noted Professor Zhang.

The beneficial roles of coffee have been consistently suggested across diverse populations, including Asians. Coffee is a popular beverage choice in Singapore, but local coffee-drinking culture and behaviors may vary among individuals, such as brewing methods, drinking frequency, and other condiments contained in the coffee.
Professor Zhang concluded, “more research is needed to investigate the roles of coffee consumption in the local context with major health outcomes.”

“Although coffee presents as a potentially healthier alternative to sweetened beverages, the health benefits of coffee vary and much depend on the type and number of condiments, such as sugar and milk, that you add to your coffee,” said Dr. Jiaxi Yang, the study’s first author and a postdoctoral research fellow at GloW and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NUS Medicine.

Another study supports the data among Caucasian populations with the conclusion that greater consumption of caffeinated coffee was related to a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes and a more favorable metabolic profile among primarily Caucasian females with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Habitual coffee consumption and subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals with a history of gestational diabetes – a prospective study

Go to source).

Health Benefits of Coffee

Aside from its beneficial effects on sugar metabolism and type 2 diabetes, studies have shown that coffee increases metabolism and helps you burn fat at a faster rate. The caffeine present in the coffee helps stimulate your nervous system, causing it to send signals to your fat cells to break down body fat (3^✔ ✔Trusted Source
The effect of caffeine on energy balance

).

Newer studies with controlled risk factors have shown coffee’s other benefits. They include potential protection against:

How to Maximize the Benefits of Coffee

Sugar Substitutes to Sweeten Your Coffee

If you have diabetes, an excellent starting point is black (unsweetened) coffee. Then, if desired, add a small bit of sweetener. Most diabetics should stick to a small amount of normal sugar or a natural substitute such as honey with a low glycemic index.

Honey as a novel antidiabetic agent might be of potential significance for the management of diabetes (11^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Honey and Diabetes: The Importance of Natural Simple Sugars in Diet for Preventing and Treating Different Type of Diabetes

Go to source).

Lattes and Syrups in Coffee Wreak Havoc on Glucose Levels

Avoid the creamy, sugary coffee found at cafe chains, which are often loaded with unhealthy carbohydrates. They’re also very high in calories and can have a negative impact on diabetes

Avoid Post-Meal Coffee

Caffeine is a stimulant that is naturally found in coffee and tea. Coffee increases blood sugar levels not just after having it but also after meals in people with diabetes.

No food or supplement offers total protection against type 2 diabetes. If you have prediabetes or are at risk for getting diabetes, losing weight, exercising, and consuming a balanced, nutrient-dense diet are the best ways to reduce your risk.

Taking up drinking coffee in order to stave off diabetes won’t guarantee you a good result. But if you already drink coffee, it may not hurt but might only add to the benefits.

Try reducing the amount of sugar or fat you drink with your coffee. Also talk with your doctor about diet options, exercise, and the effects that drinking coffee might have.

One must also remember that concerns are always raised when excessive amounts of coffee are consumed. It should also be noted that certain populations should exercise caution when consuming coffee, especially pregnant women, as coffee’s effects on pregnancies, fetuses, and offspring are poorly understood.

References :

1. Habitual coffee consumption and subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes in individuals with a history of gestational diabetes – a prospective study – (https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/ajcn/nqac241/6826999)
2. Neuroprotective Effects of Coffee Bioactive Compounds: A Review – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33374338/)
3. The effect of caffeine on energy balance – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27824614/)
4. Addressing the Neuroprotective Actions of Coffee in Parkinson’s Disease: An Emerging Nutrigenomic Analysis – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36009304/)
5. The Emerging Health Benefits of Coffee with an Emphasis on Type 2 Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29922362/)
6. Coffee and Liver Disease – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27194895/)
7. Coffee consumption and risk of incident gout in men: a prospective study – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17530645/)
8. Higher Coffee Consumption Is Associated With Slower Cognitive Decline and Less Cerebral Aβ-Amyloid Accumulation Over 126 Months: Data From the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle Study – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34867277/)
9. Caffeine as a protective factor in dementia and Alzheimer’s disease – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20182054/)
10. Systematic review with meta-analysis: coffee consumption and the risk of gallstone disease – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26198295/)
11. Honey and Diabetes: The Importance of Natural Simple Sugars in Diet for Preventing and Treating Different Type of Diabetes – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29507651/)

Source: Medindia