So far, we have read many research papers on coffee lowering the risk of Type 2 diabetes, largely because of the ability of caffeine to accelerate calorie spends, encourage weight loss and help control blood sugar. So why is a study in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition that revealed that drinking coffee may be linked with a lower risk of Type 2 diabetes any different? Simply because this is the first time that coffee’s virtues in diabetes control are pegged on its antioxidant properties and ability to control inflammatory markers in the body.

The research, which will appear in a print publications in May 2023, examined the effects of drinking coffee on two large populations totalling over 150,000 people. It focussed on the relationship between markers of inflammation and coffee consumption, concluding that the inflammation-lowering effects of the beverage could be protective against Type 2 diabetes. An additional cup of coffee per day reduced people’s risk of developing the disease by four to six per cent, the study says.

This hints that antioxidants neutralise oxidative stress in the body that can lead to dysfunction of pancreatic beta cells. “First of all, this is a large population study. Second, it focusses not on caffeine but inflammation-busting antioxidants. For long, inflammation and oxidative stress have been believed to have led to the development of chronic illnesses like diabetes, even complicating it. Coffee contains anti-inflammatory bioactive compounds. Although obesity and physical inactivity are known to be major risk factors for type 2 diabetes, studies show that oxidative stress may contribute to the pathogenesis of Type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin resistance or impairing insulin secretion. What do dietary antioxidants do? They inhibit peroxidation chain reactions. This study gives credibility to this argument,” says Dr Ambrish Mithal, Chairman of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Max Healthcare.


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