Drinking Coffee May Help Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Netflix knows what people like. A cup of joe at Luke’s Diner served with a healthy dose of lively conversation from the mother-daughter duo Lorelei and Rory Gilmore. The two TV stars recently helped kick off the Netflix Original Gilmore Girls reunion watched by 5 million viewers, and there’s been plenty of coffee drinking.

How much coffee do you drink? The average person drinks 2 to 3 cups a day. And while you might gulp down a cup of joe (even if it’s not from Luke’s Diner) to give yourself an energy boost, coffee may provide health benefits on top of that little caffeine buzz.

Northwestern University researcher Dr. Marilyn Cornelis is leading a study on coffee and type 2 diabetes prevention to learn more about the protective benefits of coffee. Current research shows that chemical compounds in coffee released during the roasting process can help reduce the risk for some chronic diseases, including diabetes.

Compared to other foods rich in vitamins and nutrients that provide protective benefits, “coffee has the most potential to prevent type 2 diabetes,” says Cornelis. “With diabetes, the more coffee the better, according to epidemiological studies.”

But drinking coffee can go wrong if you load it with sugar, cream, whole milk, or sweetened syrups high in calories. Adding these ingredients to coffee may diminish the impact coffee can have on preventing type 2 diabetes.

So how much coffee should you drink to help prevent diabetes? Up to five cups of coffee a day. That’s what members of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee said when they updated coffee consumption recommendations.

And you know what goes good with coffee? Your favorite show (it doesn’t have to be the Gilmore Girls) and some good food. Eat, drink, enjoy.