Coffee has a complicated relationship with Type-2 Diabetes. On the one hand, studies and articles point to coffee’s positive effects on diabetes. On the other, studies have also found that coffee can decrease insulin sensitivity.
So which idea is right? Will coffee reduce your risk of diabetes, or should it be avoided if you’re at-risk? Well, it turns out that both of these ideas are correct. There are many compounds in coffee that lower the risk for type-2 diabetes. Caffeine, however, has a more complicated relationship with diabetes. This is an ongoing field of research, without an easy conclusion to make. With that in mind, here’s what we’ve found about coffee’s relationship with diabetes.
Coffee and the Risk of Diabetes
The positive health benefits of coffee on heart-health, liver-health, and more are well documented. Fortunately, coffee seems to have a positive effect on preventing diabetes as well. A 2016 study, for example, found that drinking 3-4 cups of coffee a day reduced the risk of type-2 diabetes. This study found that the chlorogenic acids and caffeine contained in coffee were the reason for this.
Further studies have found other compounds in coffee that may be responsible as well. A 2023 study pointed towards cafestol, a bioactive compound in coffee, as a possible reason why coffee reduces the risk of diabetes. Compounds such as this are retained in decaf coffee.
Although research is still ongoing in this field, there is certainly a correlation between regular coffee consumption and a decreased risk of type-2 diabetes. This is of course only one factor in a person’s susceptibility to diabetes. Diet, exercise, and genetic predisposition should always be considered first.
Caffeine and Diabetes
Here’s where things start to get more complicated. While some studies have shown that caffeine can reduce insulin sensitivity, others show quite the opposite. Insulin sensitivity refers to how well a person’s cells respond to insulin.
An issue of Diabetes Care from the American Diabetes Association holds that caffeine reduces insulin sensitivity. This is a major issue for diabetics or people at the risk of diabetes. On the flip side, a 2021 study concluded that there “is no need to restrict coffee intake in non-diabetic, prediabetic, and diabetic individuals for fear of insulin resistance.”
The jury is still out regarding caffeine’s effects on diabetes. As with many of caffeine’s effects, this may come down to your own personal caffeine sensitivity. If caffeine causes your blood pressure to spike, it’s best to avoid caffeine if you’re diabetic.
Approaching Coffee if You Are Diabetic
With all the conflicting information out there, we strongly recommend you consult with your personal physician to decide if caffeine is safe for you. If you are worried about the negative effects of caffeine, switching to decaf is an easy choice. In the past, this might have meant giving up good quality coffee. Fortunately, decaf coffee today is miles ahead of the Sanka that diabetics once had to turn to.
The coffee itself is just one piece of the puzzle, however. It is important to limit sugary additives to your coffee too. This means that sugar and most flavored syrups should be avoided. If you’re really missing a sweet cup of coffee, monk fruit sugar has emerged as a safe option for diabetics.
Whatever your decision, just remember that delicious decaf is available if you’re worried about caffeine’s effects on your type-2 diabetes.
