Study finds that coffee reduces the risk of diabetes
A new study, published in the February issue of Diabetes Care, proclaims that coffee consumption is linked with a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes – and it does not matter if it is caffeinated or not.
Drinking coffee has long-established health benefits and, following a recent trend, this piece of research churns up further good news for our favourite bean.
Whilst there has been associations made in the past between the positive effect that coffee has on reducing the danger of the metabolic disease, this investigation focused upon the differences between caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee. It was found that both types can be connected to ‘a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.’
‘We found that a one cup a day increment of regular coffee was associated with a 9% reduction,’ senior author of the report, Frank B. Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health, stated.
‘One cup per day of decaf [coffee] was associated with a 6% reduction,’ he continued, before adding ‘the difference in risk reduction between the two types of coffee was not statistically different.’
The findings were similar for both men and women.
A possible explanation for the encouraging results could be the role of chlorogenic acid – a phenolic compound and a major component in the makeup of coffee.
The acid ‘has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce blood sugar absorption,’ Hu told Medscape Medical News.
In closing, it was suggested that coffee was one, of many, dietary factors than can help in the onset of diabetes.
More than 370 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes, making it one of the most significant health problems.