Many studies have shown that drinking coffee, regular or decaf, with or without sugar, reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A new study, reported by the Globe and Mail has found that when you drink your coffee may have an effect on diabetes risk.
The researchers studied 69,532 French women, aged 41 to 72, to investigate the long-term effect of drinking coffee, tea and chicory (a caffeine-free coffee substitute) on type 2 diabetes risk. They also examined whether coffee consumed at various times of day, and whether adding milk or sugar, made a difference. After 11 years of follow-up, 1,415 women developed type 2 diabetes. Women who drank at least three cups of coffee a day were 23 per cent less likely to be diagnosed with diabetes than women who did not drink coffee.
Drinking coffee at lunch, but not breakfast or dinner, was linked with protection from diabetes. Women who drank more than 1.1 cups had a 34 per cent lower risk of type 2 diabetes than non-coffee drinkers. Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee at lunch significantly reduced diabetes risk. Adding milk to the coffee was found to lower the protecting effect of the coffee. Tea and chicory consumption did not alter diabetes risk.
The study will be published in the April issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
