Good news for all you Starbucks fanatics out there. A recent analysis of several studies has shown something of a protective effect of coffee and tea when concerning Type 2 Diabetes. The researches are not exactly sure what is garnishing this protective effect. It is not specifically caffine because decaf coffee also showed reduced risk for diabetes.
One theory is that some of the chemical compounds in coffee and tea affect sugar metabolism. Green tea, black tea and oolong tea have shown the ability to boost the effect of insulin. Now the headlines are going to read, "each cup of coffee a day gives you a 7% less chance of getting Type 2 Diabetes." Not so fast. This particular kind of analysis can skew statistics a little because it adds many studies together to make predictions. Some of those studies have very small sample sizes and others are not exactly the most controlled studies. Also, this is talking about coffee and tea, not a 20 oz. carmel-mocha-choca-latte. Those dessert-type drinks have hundreds of calories and tons of sugar.
Bottom line, just like one or two glasses of red wine can have a protective effect against heart disease, coffee and tea can have a similar effect on Type 2 Diabetes. In both of these cases we are talking about supplemental effects. A healthy lifestyle based on diet and exercise can not be overstated. There are no shortcuts on the path to health, but a glass of wine and cup of tea sure can make the journey a little more enjoyable.
Committed to your health,
Dr. Craig Conti
Sarasota Foot Care Center
http://www.sarasotafootcarecenter.com
