There’s a debate discussing ‘is coffee good for diabetics?’ and it presents two sides: some argue it could be risky, while others say coffee is perfectly fine for people with high glucose levels in blood. There’s even some research that argues it could improve diabetes in some cases.
What does science say? Is coffee bad for diabetes? Eden wants to summarise this and other questions linking coffee and diabetes.
According to experts, diabetes produces an oxidative effect that can affect several organs, such as eyes and liver. This process causes eyesight issues and can aggravate a diabetes condition, as the liver is responsible of controlling glucose levels.
As the latest research indicates, coffee is actually great at anticipating and avoiding diabetes. According to several reports, drinking 3 cups of coffee could reduce the risk of developing diabetes up to a 30%.
Besides, coffee antioxidants fight the effects mentioned above, helping the liver control glucose levels. So the answer to “is coffee bad for diabetes” should be no: in fact it can help your body fight this problem.
There are however certain things to take into account for people who drink coffee and suffer from diabetes (or a high level of blood sugar). This has however more to do with how coffee is made than coffee itself.
It’s obvious that if someone presents a high level of blood sugar, he should not add sugar to his coffee. It’s also essential to remember that certain sweeteners could be adding to the person’s glucose levels.
It’s also essential to be cautious about adding milk to coffee: whole milk and semi-skimmed milk contain a high level of lactose, which the body synthetises as sugar and can thus alter sugar levels. If that’s what best suits you, it’s therefore recommended to add skimmed or lactose-free milk.
How about a person who has developed this illness? He or she must be cautious, especially during or after meals: a coffee cup can be counterproductive because the hormones responsible of regulating glucose (glucagon, related to the pancreas) can be altered by this drink.
To sum up, coffee is good at preventing the development of diabetes. However, if the sickness has already developed, the best is to consult with a medical professional that can suggest the right actions. Most likely, he or she won’t forbid coffee completely and allow the person to drink one cup to start the day (without adding sugar, of course).
