Your Daily Coffee May Ward off Diabetes

Coffee lovers rejoice! Though a healthy diet and regular exercise are proven to help delay the onset of type 2 diabetes and prevent its development, regularly drinking those cups of joe may also help. New research published in the Journal of Natural Products has shown that drinking three to four cups of regular or decaffeinated coffee a day can help prevent type 2 diabetes. Søren Gregersen, MD, PhD, of the Department of Endocrinology and Internal Medicine at Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark, and his colleagues identified two compounds in coffee that can help prevent the onset of this disease.

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They found that both cafestol and caffeic acid increased insulin secretion and improved glucose tolerance, while cafestol also increased glucose uptake in muscle cells equalling levels of a currently prescribed anti-diabetic drug. More analysis is required to fully understand the effects of compounds in coffee, but the researchers are optimistic that their work may help lead to the development of new medications to better prevent and treat type 2 diabetes. In the meantime, if you can’t get through the morning without coffee, then continue to indulge your habit; it’s good for your health.