Coffee helps with diabetes - scientists

There seems to be no more talked about drink than coffee. And the best stories are also told over a cup of coffee. No matter what people say about this aromatic drink, more and more studies confirm its benefits. The main thing is not to confuse anything about the correct consumption: no sugar and no more than two cups a day. One of the latest studies by American scientists, which lasted 38 years, showed that replacing juices and sugary fizzy drinks with coffee, tea and sugar-free water can significantly affect the duration and quality of life.

Interestingly, according to scientists, coffee, even among healthy unsweetened drinks, has the best effect on the health of patients with type 2 diabetes.

No sugar: sugary drinks are on the blacklist

For 38 years, American scientists have been studying the data of more than 15,000 people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The results, published in The BMJTrusted Source, showed that people who gave up sugary drinks in favour of unsweetened ones had a 26% reduction in mortality risk over the entire study period.

The scientific analysis also confirmed that people who consumed sugary drinks the most had a 20% increased risk of death. Keith Hopkins, MD, a physician at Strive Health in Denver, believes that the study results only confirm what has long been known in the field.

"The more we studied it, the more we saw that sugary drinks reduce the amount of time you spend on Earth," Hopkins says.

The doctor believes that this study is especially important for diabetics, as for these patients, drinking sugary drinks can be compared to walking on the edge of a cliff:

"If you don't have diabetes, you're a good five feet away from that edge, but if you are diabetic, you're inches away from the cliff! And everything you do - smoking, poor exercise and diet - is bringing you closer and closer to the fall. This study shows how careful we need to be with diabetes patients."

One sugary drink a day can dramatically increase the risk of death

The study is based on two databases maintained by nurses and doctors from the 1980s to 2018. The average duration of observation was 18.5 years, with data updated with follow-up questions every 2-4 years.

According to the researchers, even one serving of the sugary drink daily increased the risk of death by 8%, while the researchers took into account other causes.

The risk of mortality also decreased at different rates depending on which beverage was substituted for the sugar-sweetened beverage:

• replacing a sugary drink with coffee led to a 26% reduction in mortality risk;
• drinking unsweetened tea led to a 21% reduction in mortality risk;
• plain water reduced the risk of mortality by 23%;
• skimmed milk - by 12%.

Ana Maria Kausel, an endocrinologist at Anzara Health's telemedicine practice, believes that the study shows how detrimental hidden sugar in drinks can be to our health:

"Everyone thinks about food first. However, I always tell my patients to think more about the calories they drink than the calories they eat," says Kausel.

Tea, coffee, cappuccino?

Not only the presence of sugar in a drink, but also the choice of the drink itself matters, scientists believe. For example, artificially sweetened drinks and fruit juices, although shown to have a slightly lower impact on health, are also on the list of prohibited drinks because they contain a lot of sugar.

"It's wise to shift the focus to the drinks that are most likely to have a positive impact on health: coffee, tea, plain water, and low-fat milk," said Nita G. Forowey, MD, Professor at the University of Cambridge.

The doctor is also confident that the study is universal for all people, regardless of whether they have diabetes:

"Having diabetes should not be a limitation, as the results of the new study in this group of patients are broadly similar to those of earlier studies in the general population," says Forrow.

Not just water: the best sugar-free drinks

The authors of the study consider the marketing techniques of world-famous beverage manufacturers to be "endless", citing their main problem: they form a false opinion in society that drinks with a high sugar content, such as juices and smoothies, are healthy, when they are not. The American Diabetes Association ADA offers its own healthy drink options:

• unsweetened iced tea;
• mineral water;
• unsweetened coffee or hot tea;
• diet drinks.

It turns out that not only food but also drinks affect our health and life expectancy. If you are at risk of type 2 diabetes or drink sugary drinks frequently, replace them with natural coffee, cold or hot tea, and plain water. According to scientists, you will improve your overall health and add several years to your life.