Is Coffee Okay?

Why decaffeinated coffee is better than you think.

Advertisement
 
Every other week, it seems, a new health report comes out about coffee. Studies have suggested that the beverage protects against certain cancers and Parkinson's disease, and it’s one of the best sources of antioxidants in our diet (mainly because we drink so much of it). But there’s more.

One of the compounds in coffee, called chlorogenic acid, has been shown in animal studies to lower blood sugar. Coffee's also rich in quinides, compounds that make the body more sensitive to insulin. These could be among the reasons why regular coffee drinkers seem to have a lower risk of developing diabetes. A survey of 80,000 women conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health showed that drinking two to three cups a day lowered the chance of developing type 2 diabetes by about a third.

So go ahead, join in the klatch at the local coffee shop -- but stick to decaf, because caffeine can cause spikes in your blood sugar by raising so-called "stress" hormones that stimulate the release of stored glucose from the liver.

From 759 Secrets for Beating Diabetes
 
Must Read Should Everyone Read This? Yes! I vote for this story
Share Your Comments
 
Remaining Character Count:
 
See All Comments

Advertisement
 
Related Links

Get It Through E-mail

Get info and tips you can really use!
Sign up to receive the This Week@RD newsletter.


Advertisement
Popular stories from the source site rd.com sorted by diggs