May 4, 2010
The Coffee Hour That’s Best for Blood Sugar
The time of day you choose to sip your joe could affect your risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a major medical problem for people living in Bali, Indonesia and Asia.
In a study of women, having black decaf or regular coffee with lunch seemed to reduce diabetes risk better than having the brew at other times of the day.
The “Why” on “When”
The researchers weren’t exactly sure why lunchtime coffee seemed to have the most favorable effect on diabetes risk, but they suspect that chlorogenic acids in coffee may somehow slow down glucose absorption from the small intestine into the blood stream. And that effect may have been especially helpful for the women in the study, because lunch tended to be their largest meal of the day.
Coffee Caveats
If you’re sensitive to caffeine or have high blood pressure, there’s no good reason to start up a java habit. And if you already have type 2 diabetes, coffee may not do your medical treatment plan any favors. In fact, some research suggests it could be harmful, but the results have been mixed so far.
