Drinking coffee has a big potential to impact glucose control. The impact depends on a variety of factors, like the type of coffee you’re drinking, your genetics and time of day.
Keep reading to see how drinking caffeine might be impacting your levels and how to minimise this!
Caffeine and sugar levels
Caffeine can make it harder for some people to keep sugar levels stable.
This is because caffeine causes adrenaline to spike, which can raise blood glucose and decrease insulin sensitivity. This means caffeine can make it harder for glucose to move into cells.
This response is varied across individuals, some people are extremely sensitive to the side of effects of caffeine and struggle to control sugar levels. It is worth keeping a close eye on sugar levels when drinking coffee so you can make the right adjustments.
Benefits of drinking coffee
- Nutrients – Coffee contains polyphenols which is an important antioxidant in preventing inflammation and chronic illnesses. Good quality coffee also contain magnesium which is vital for relaxation and the uptake of glucose into cells.
- It may be beneficial to heart health – studies have shown coffee drinkers are at less risk of getting clots, arrhythmia, heart failure and strokes.
- Coffee is delicious – looking forward to having one or two coffees a day is absolutely fine!
Cons of drinking coffee
- Milk and syrups – takeout coffees that are mostly milk and sugar are far from ideal. The high content of sugar completely removes the benefits of coffee. So remember to save these drinks for the occasion.
- Getting hooked on caffeine – we don’t want to start relying on caffeine to get through our daily lives. Drinking too much coffee can also impact quality of sleep, which creates more risk of health problems.
- Poor sources of coffee can contain harmful chemicals. Cheap instant coffee contain pesticides and preservatives. It might be worth going for more expensive coffees and organic brands.
Good quality coffee brands to check out:
- Lifeboost Dark Roast Coffee
- Bulletproof The Original
- Kicking Horse Coffee “Kick Ass”
- Equal Exchange Organic
- The Organic Coffee Co. Ground
To summarise, if you’re a coffee drinker try to drink one or two cups of good quality coffee and avoid sugars, syrups and lots of milk. Also try to stop drinking coffee at around 3pm so it doesn’t impact sleep.
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If you liked this post be sure to check out Is stress making your glucose levels impossible to control? and 5 ways to reduce your risk of getting Type 2 diabetes
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