Coffee is a popular beverage worldwide, and it’s not hard to see why. It tastes great, keeps you alert, and has even been shown to improve certain health markers when consumed in moderation. But what about for people with diabetes or those concerned about their blood sugar levels? Can they safely enjoy this favorite drink without worrying about it having an impact on their blood sugar levels? The short answer is…it depends. We will also show you a certain type of coffee that actually helps to reduce blood sugar levels later in this article.
The Impact of Coffee on Blood Sugar Levels
Coffee has a complex effect on blood sugar levels. Caffeine is a major active ingredient in coffee, and in some cases, it can raise blood sugar levels by stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreas. In addition, caffeine can increase insulin production by the body even if you don’t eat any carbohydrates or sugars.
However, how much caffeine affects your blood glucose (BG) depends on several factors, including how much you drink, your BMI (body mass index), and whether you are overweight or obese. Therefore, it is important to talk to your healthcare professional if you are concerned about changing your diet or medications while drinking caffeinated beverages such as coffee because they may affect different people with diabetes.
Effects of Coffee Consumption on Glucose Metabolism
As mentioned, caffeine can, in some cases, raise blood sugar levels, but only to a certain point. In several studies, coffee has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
However, if you’re living with type 1 diabetes (T1D), you may want to be careful about how much coffee you drink. The caffeine in coffee can cause your body’s insulin production mechanisms to work too hard and even overcompensate for the caffeine’s effects. This can lead to low blood glucose levels after drinking caffeinated beverages like coffee—and this is especially true if you take medication for T1D that suppresses insulin production more than usual. Now, of course this is solely speaking about regular coffee.
In addition, drinking too much caffeine can worsen high blood pressure and heart rate; increase cholesterol levels; interfere with sleep; make it harder for your kidneys and liver to work properly; increase dental erosion (the wear on tooth enamel); cause stomach upset or stomach pain; make it harder for pregnant women who have gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during pregnancy because their bodies don’t produce enough insulin yet so they need extra help from their diets instead. However, for most people these risks are correlated with excessive consumption, not with normal consumption.
Potential Benefits of Coffee for The Prevention Of Diabetes.
According to the National Institutes of Health, coffee may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association points out that coffee is a source of antioxidants and other nutrients that help prevent disease.
The following are some potential benefits of coffee for people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes:
- Caffeine has been shown to help lower blood glucose levels among people with type 2 diabetes and improve insulin sensitivity in non-diabetic people. This means you can use your body’s natural ability to produce insulin more efficiently. In addition, caffeine may increase energy levels by boosting serotonin production in the brain and reducing inflammation throughout your body—which affects how well your body metabolizes sugar!
- In a study published in 2015 in the journal Diabetes Care, researchers found that drinking caffeinated beverages daily was associated with lower rates of liver fibrosis (scarring) among individuals at high risk for liver failure due to diabetes or obesity than those who drank none or very few caffeinated drinks each week.
- Coffee drinkers tend to have healthier diets overall than those who don’t drink coffee because they’re more likely to avoid sweetened drinks such as soda which have negative consequences for blood glucose levels over time.
- Drinking one cup per day reduces heart attack risk by about 10 percent compared with consuming no cups per week; drinking two cups per day reduces stroke risk by about 20 percent compared with consuming no cups per week—and these protective effects are seen even if they’re consumed after dinner rather than before bedtime.
Whether coffee is good or bad for people with diabetes depends on the individual. If you are a regular coffee drinker, there’s no need to change your habits. If you have diabetes, monitoring your blood sugar levels when drinking coffee and ensuring they don’t rise too high is important.
The Potential Benefits of Consuming Coffee May Outweigh Its Risks…
While consuming coffee can cause your blood glucose levels to spike, it doesn’t affect insulin resistance significantly. Insulin resistance is when your body becomes less sensitive to the effects of insulin, which can lead to type 2 diabetes over time.
Caffeine is known for its ability to increase heart rate and blood pressure, which are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In addition, caffeine can cause insomnia or exacerbate existing sleep problems in some people. Finally, caffeine may cause headaches and irritability in those who have trouble sleeping or experience other side effects from coffee consumption (e.g., jitteriness). Again, these negative consequences are typically only linked with excessive consumption.
Coffee Might Be Linked to Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
Coffee has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes in many studies. While the reasons behind this correlation are still being researched, it’s safe to say that drinking coffee regularly won’t hurt your chances of developing diabetes.
- One study found that women who consumed three or more cups per day had a 22% lower risk of type 2 diabetes than those who drank less than two cups per week.
- Another study found that men who consumed 4-5 cups daily were 20% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than their non-coffee-drinking counterparts.
Caffeine may raise blood glucose levels in people with type 1 diabetes.
The impact of caffeine on blood sugar levels is unclear, but it may cause a temporary rise. The effect also seems to vary between individuals and according to the dose of caffeine consumed.
Caffeine is known to be a stimulant. It works by blocking adenosine receptors in the central nervous system, causing increased activity in certain neurons that promotes wakefulness and improved mood (1). For this reason, many people with type 1 diabetes may avoid large amounts of caffeine because it can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) or cause hyperglycemia (high blood glucose).
For most people with diabetes, coffee is safe if you monitor your blood sugar levels.
Monitoring your blood sugar levels before and after drinking coffee is important. If you have type 1 diabetes, check your blood sugar at least two hours after drinking it. In general, most people with diabetes should limit how much they drink daily to fewer than four cups (16 oz) of coffee.
If you are unsure whether your body can handle caffeine, try having just one cup of coffee at a time and see how it affects your glucose levels compared to when you don’t drink any. You might also want to limit other sources of caffeine like soda or tea to easily spot any trends in how coffee affects them within the context of your daily routine.
Conclusion
Coffee is a popular beverage for people with diabetes, but not everyone can drink it. If you’re considering adding coffee to your diet, talk to your doctor first. They can help you decide whether this is the right choice for you based on your medical history and current medications. However, there’s no need to worry about the health effects of coffee if you don’t have any issues with blood sugar levels or diabetes!
References
- Asif, M. (2014). The prevention and control the type-2 diabetes by changing lifestyle and dietary pattern. Journal Of Education And Health Promotion, 3(1), 1. doi: 10.4103/2277-9531.127541
- Liu, F., Wang, X., Wu, G., Chen, L., Hu, P., Ren, H., & Hu, H. (2015). Coffee Consumption Decreases Risks for Hepatic Fibrosis and Cirrhosis: A Meta-Analysis. PloS one, 10(11), e0142457. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0142457
- Reis, C., Dórea, J. G., & da Costa, T. (2018). Effects of coffee consumption on glucose metabolism: A systematic review of clinical trials. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine, 9(3), 184–191. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcme.2018.01.001