Greater coffee consumption leads to better glucose tolerance and lower risk of type 2 diabetes

the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:

New information from the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC) is good news for coffee drinkers, especially those at risk for type 2 diabetes.

In its annual diabetes report, ISIC reports that diabetes is one of the most significant global health problems; however, a regular cup of coffee may be able to decrease that risk by 25%. Type 2 diabetes is associated with obesity and physical inactivity, older age, race, and a family history of type 2 diabetes.

But the condition can be prevented through healthy food choices, physical activity, weight loss, and now possibly coffee. ISIC found that 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day lowers the risk by 25% compared with drinking two cups or less. Furthermore, the caffeine in coffee has little to do with its benefits as decaffeinated coffee was found to have a greater protective effect that caffeinated coffee.

But how the coffee is made has an effect on its benefits, as filtered coffee had a greater protective effect that boiled coffee. Although researchers are not sure what mechanisms are at work, they theorize it may be because of coffee’s antioxidants. ISIC research found that the body’s glucose tolerance is better with high coffee consumption.