Coffee and Diabetes

Can Decaffeinated Coffee Reduce the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes?

According to scientific studies, regular coffee consumption can reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that both coffee and decaffeinated coffee have a positive effect on blood sugar levels. Even in long-term studies, regular coffee consumption reduced the frequency of developing Type 2 diabetes. These studies revealed that drinking 3-4 cups of decaffeinated coffee per day reduced the risk by 30%. Another study that examined the dose-response relationships between coffee consumption and diabetes risk showed that higher coffee consumption can further lower the risk of diabetes. Therefore, even drinking up to ten cups of decaffeinated coffee per day is not limited.

The positive effect of coffee on the risk of Type 2 diabetes cannot be attributed to caffeine. Phenolic compounds found in both coffee and decaffeinated coffee, such as chlorogenic acid, positively affect insulin receptors on body cells and improve glucose absorption from the blood. At the same time, phenolic compounds have antioxidant properties and reduce oxidative stress in cells. Chlorogenic acid, cafestol, kahweol, and trigonelline are other coffee compounds linked to anti-inflammatory effects. An especially interesting compound is trigonelline, which promises an anti-diabetic effect by lowering glucose levels through increasing insulin concentration.

In studies, the consumption of coffee or decaffeinated coffee led to a decrease in pro-inflammatory factors and an increase in anti-inflammatory biomarkers. Regular consumption of both decaffeinated and caffeinated coffee helps protect against the development of Type 2 diabetes. The European Food Safety Authority considers the intake of up to 3-4 cups of coffee per day (up to 400 mg of caffeine for adults) to be safe. For pregnant women, a daily intake of 200 mg of caffeine is considered safe. To prevent diabetes, you should incorporate more coffee breaks into your daily routine. As a coffee drinker, you can enjoy as much decaffeinated coffee as you like, anytime throughout the day.

What is Diabetes Mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus, also known as "sugar diabetes," has been known for a long time and was already described by physicians in ancient Egypt. "Mellitus" means "honey-sweet," as the urine of untreated diabetics has a slightly sweet taste. This characteristic was used throughout history by physicians to diagnose diabetes.

If you have diabetes, your doctor has examined your blood, and your blood sugar level is above 126 mg/dl when fasting. After a meal, the blood sugar level remains around 200 mg/dl and slowly decreases. In contrast, healthy individuals typically have a fasting blood sugar level of 110 mg/dl and a post-meal blood sugar level that does not rise above 140 mg/dl. You should be alert if your doctor measures fasting blood sugar levels between 110 and 125 mg/dl, as this is a precursor to diabetes (pre-diabetes) or glucose tolerance disorder. However, your blood sugar levels fluctuate throughout the day depending on the food you consume. A follow-up with your doctor can provide insight into your blood glucose levels.

What is the Difference Between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes?

Diabetes can be classified into two forms: Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. The protective effect of coffee consumption on diabetes has been described only for Type 2 diabetes so far, as Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.

What is Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus?

Type 1 diabetes is often congenital and appears in childhood. In this form of diabetes, the pancreatic cells cannot produce the hormone insulin on their own. Therefore, Type 1 diabetics need to inject insulin externally, for example, with a syringe. Insulin is essential for life because it allows sugar to be absorbed from the blood into body cells. If sugar remains in the blood and cannot enter the cells, it leads to severe complications such as nerve damage, kidney disease, blindness, or diabetic foot. Type 1 diabetics regularly measure their blood sugar levels and adjust their insulin needs according to their meals.

What is Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus?

Coffee can help prevent the development of Type 2 diabetes. Therefore, you're on the right track when you take multiple coffee breaks throughout the day. The more coffee you drink, the better the protection. Feel free to drink as much decaffeinated coffee as you like. Type 2 diabetes predominantly occurs in older adults as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle associated with overweight, lipid metabolism disorders, and high blood pressure. Hence, Type 2 diabetes is often referred to as "adult-onset diabetes." A genetic predisposition can also lead to Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is usually a combination of insufficient insulin production in the pancreas and insufficient insulin action (insulin resistance) in the body cells.

A common cause of overweight is an unhealthy lifestyle. Overweight occurs when more energy is consumed in the form of food than is processed. A continuous surplus of food overloads the body because blood sugar levels need to be constantly balanced with insulin. The more sugar (glucose) in the blood, the more insulin the pancreas produces. Insulin continually acts on body cells to remove glucose from the blood. As a result, the body cells become desensitized, and the receptors where insulin binds to open the cells and allow glucose to enter become less responsive. This leads to reduced insulin sensitivity. While the pancreas still produces enough insulin, it no longer works effectively. This is when insulin resistance is diagnosed. The body cells no longer take up glucose, and the pancreas eventually becomes exhausted and reduces its insulin production. The result is Type 2 diabetes.

Polyphenols and Phenolic Acids

A predominantly vegetarian diet with a high proportion of bioactive substances, such as polyphenols and phenolic acids found in coffee, promotes sugar metabolism. The German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends adhering to specific lifestyle factors to successfully prevent diabetes. These include:

• Sufficient physical activity
• Maintaining normal weight
• Avoiding nicotine
• Regularly checking blood lipids, blood glucose levels, and blood pressure
• A balanced diet and conscious consumption of sweetened beverages.

What Effect Does Coffee Have on Existing Diabetes and Its Complications?

The scientific understanding of how caffeine affects blood sugar levels in existing diabetes is not yet fully clear. There is some indication that caffeine, in tablet form, can negatively influence blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetics. At the same time, some studies suggest that caffeine reduces the body's sensitivity to insulin. On the other hand, animal studies on diabetic rats have shown that caffeine can have positive effects on blood sugar levels. The latest findings suggest that (black) coffee, as a replacement for sugary drinks, can reduce mortality in Type 2 diabetics by up to 26%. In contrast, the study showed that regular consumption of sugary soft drinks increased mortality by 20% in diabetics compared to participants who drank less than one serving per month. To maintain this positive effect of coffee, it is advised to avoid sweetening your hot beverage with sugar or artificial sweeteners. Researchers also recommend switching from whole milk to low-fat milk or a plant-based alternative.

What Effect Does Coffee Have on Diabetic Neuropathy?

Coffee contains many compounds that positively affect the body. On the other hand, some ingredients should be monitored by diabetics. As a diabetic, you should seek medical advice regarding your diet, lifestyle, and coffee consumption to ensure that your blood sugar levels are well-controlled. It’s important to be aware that the disease carries a high risk of long-term complications, including nerve damage. The medical term for this type of nerve damage is diabetic polyneuropathy. The causes of nerve damage are chronically elevated blood sugar levels and a deficiency of vitamin B1.

Thiamine (Vitamin B1) is an essential water-soluble vitamin that the body cannot produce or store for long periods. Therefore, it must be consumed in adequate amounts through daily nutrition. As a diabetic, you need significantly more thiamine because, on one hand, your body has an increased need due to higher blood glucose levels, and on the other hand, more thiamine is excreted through the urine. Researchers believe that thiamine levels in diabetics are about 75% lower than in healthy individuals.

Thiamine is involved in numerous metabolic processes in the body, including energy production from carbohydrates. This includes providing energy for nerve cells and the brain. A deficiency in thiamine leads to a disruption of glucose energy production and, consequently, undernourishment of the nerves, which become damaged. Typical diseases associated with a vitamin B1 deficiency include beriberi and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

Diabetes is a disease whose symptoms are heavily influenced by individual management. You should consult your doctor to discuss how you can enjoy coffee.

Candied Coffees: What Diabetics Should Know

If you’re in Spain and order coffee at a restaurant, you might see that the beans are "Torrefacto-roasted." What diabetics should know is that this type of Spanish roasting contains sugar. The coffee beans are candied with sugar to reduce acidity and bitterness. Torrefacto coffee blends are also available for decaffeinated beans. Other countries, such as France, Spain, Portugal, Costa Rica, and Argentina, also appreciate candied coffee beans. If you find a Torrefacto coffee package in the supermarket, it will indicate the sugar content in the nutritional table. Torrefacto coffee blends often consist of 20% candied beans and 80% conventionally roasted beans. Although the sugar content in the drink is low after grinding and preparation, Torrefacto coffees have more calories and carbohydrates compared to regular coffee.