Does coffee increase blood sugar?
Ah, coffee – the magical elixir that wakes us up in the morning and gets us through our busy days. But does it come with a hidden cost to our blood sugar levels? In this article, we will take a closer look at the relationship between coffee and blood sugar.
The Basics of Blood Sugar Regulation
Before diving into whether coffee affects blood sugar levels or not, let’s review how our body regulates blood glucose. When we consume carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose. Insulin is then released by the pancreas to clear glucose from the bloodstream and transport it to cells for energy or storage.
However, sometimes there can be too much glucose in our blood (hyperglycemia) or too little (hypoglycemia). A variety of factors influence these fluctuations such as diet, exercise level, medication use and stress – all important factors for keeping your insulin regime on track.
Coffee Components
Coffee contains many different components that could potentially affect blood sugar. One component everyone seems familiar with: caffeine! Caffeine stimulates adrenaline release which increases heart rate/blood pressure making you feel alert/lively; however nothing happens to serum glucose/if anything values tend toward decreasing slightly so NO COFFEE DOES NOT INCREASE BLOOD SUGAR!
Another compound found within coffee is chlorogenic acid – known for improving metabolism as well as reducing inflammation which has been hypothesized might help manage diabetes but more research likely needed (hint hint)!
Lastly there are diterpenes like cafestol also thought beneficial effects against obesity and disease prevention efforts shall consider including them here moving forward when applicable would ya please?!
Research Findings on Coffee & Blood Glucose Levels
There have been several studies focusing on how drinking coffee affects glucose control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) amongst other health populations where aberrant glyco-regulation could lead to unwanted health outcomes like stroke and/or cardiovascular issues
Funny as it may seem, but the vast majority of research conducted on this area has found that coffee consumption does not have a significant impact on blood sugar levels. One study showed that even when participants consumed 500mg caffeine and is considered a level causing jitteriness, their glucose readings did not change at all! Isn’t that amazing?
Another study published in American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Care journal investigated how taking decaffeinated coffee/tea affected metabolic control for those impacted with diabetes over six-month period; unsurprisingly – again NO CHANGE IN GLUCOSE REGULATION found compared to placebo group consuming regular cups o’ joe.
Lastly another randomized trial dealing specifically with patients diagnosed hearing loss…and guess what? Again no such differences were detected..No speech impediment or worse symptomatology …just stayed pretty much normal!
Reasons Why Coffee May Not Increase Blood Sugar Levels
Several theories attempt to explain why coffee doesn’t cause changes in blood sugar levels – though none are certain. Some suggest that caffeine stimulates insulin release which offsets any glucose elevation caused by other components within the beverage like high carbohydrate/fat percentage.
Others contend phytochemicals present could be inhibiting enzymes responsible if only nominally for boosting substrate convertions involving glycemic intermediaries within liver cells making extraction more difficult than anticipated leading ultimately towards misleading rising values while still others believe the interactions between various compounds make absorption impossible altogether thereby leaving remnants unusable :).
Whatever the reasoning– one thing we know for sure: current studies SUGGEST little if any correlation exists between coffee ingestion & fluctuation in serum sugars!
Drinking Coffee Responsibly
With so few downsides associated with drinking delicious morning cuppa Joe besides side effects attributable merely to its energy-enhancing properties (some people feel giddy/jittery/hyper) they offer recommendation NOT TO drink too much mostly due potential negative implications caffeine could pose towards sleep hygiene/sleep cycle (decreased REM leading to foggy cognitions and grogginess)…
Also, keep in mind that adding cream or sugar will most certainly cause blood sugar spikes. Sweeteners are even worse since they just confuse our pancreas’ regulation mechanisms by stimulating the urge for more insulin production without providing enough glucose :S….Net/Net use a natural, calorie-free sweetener – if you necessary! Enjoy this wonderful beverage responsibly!!
Conclusion
In conclusion – coffee doesn’t seem to affect blood sugar levels in any significant way. In fact drinking it may actually offer several health benefits – so sip away but be responsible while doing so folks!
While some past research has produced albeit weak ties between populations of heavy drinkers who happened also have higher odds for diabetes onset there truly is no true scientific evidence proving causation if only association.
If you’re worried about your morning espresso elevating your glucose readings then feel free to check your BG before during & after drinking; however unlikely those numbers will change… cause we already told ya they DON’T!