Gano Life and Diabetes

Benefits of Black Coffee Are Best It’s not just brewed coffee that may help – other studies have found that consuming raw, unroasted coffee beans lowered blood sugar in healthy people, which could help prevent diabetes. Zodkoy said the coffee drinkers in the studies analyzed had a healthier diet, which would have further reduced their risk. “People who drank coffee in the studies tended to drink much less sugary soda,” said Zodkoy. “Sugar-sweetened drinks are known to cause obesity, which is linked to diabetes.” “So if you add a bunch of sugar to your coffee,” Zodkoy added, “you’re probably reducing the benefits.” Drab agreed, and said that people often think that any coffee drink will confer this benefit. “When we’re talking about coffee, we’re not talking about lattes that are loaded with sugar and calories,” Dr. Drab said. “These kinds of drinks can be very problematic for patients with diabetes or those who are at risk.” Drab, who said he doesn’t drink coffee, advises his patients who do to drink it black. “If you can’t drink it black, use a low-fat creamer and an artificial sweetener," he said. In addition, Zodkoy said that it’s important to understand how much coffee you actually drink. The researchers found that the biggest benefit came at around six cups per day – but that’ doesn’t mean you need to fill your mug that many times. “A cup of coffee is actually measured at 5 ounces,” Zodkoy explained. “So if you drink a mug, you’re already at two cups.” Ultimately, while the findings show that coffee may have some protective benefit, both Drab and Zodkoy said more research needs to be done before they recommend drinking coffee as a way to prevent diabetes. “I’m not encouraging or discouraging people to drink it,” Drab said. “We need some randomized trials to really be sure of coffee’s true benefit.” Especially since too much coffee can be problematic, “Too much coffee can cause sleep problems, anxiety, headaches and stomach issues,” Zodkoy said. “It’s all about balance.”