How Does Coffee Affect Your Blood Sugar?
In India, coffee consumption amounted to over 70,200 metric tonnes in 2020. More than 50% of our population drinks coffee on a daily basis. And not just coffee, everyone consumes some amount of caffeine regularly whether it’s from coffee, tea, soda, or chocolate.
And while caffeine in healthy amounts is beneficial for the body, mindless consumption of it on a long term basis may cause problems. For healthy people, it’s usually a harmless perk-me-up. But if you have type 2 diabetes, caffeine may make it harder to keep your blood sugar in check.
And while caffeine in healthy amounts is beneficial for the body, mindless consumption of it on a long term basis may cause problems. For healthy people, it’s usually a harmless perk-me-up. But if you have type 2 diabetes, caffeine may make it harder to keep your blood sugar in check.
What is Caffeine?
Caffeine is a drug found naturally in the leaves and seeds of many plants. It is also made artificially and added to some foods and drinks. It is a drug because it stimulates the central nervous system, causing increased alertness and gives most people a temporary energy boost.In some people, it also temporarily improves their mood.
What Does Caffeine Do?
Caffeine can help you feel alert and focused. But it also can cause anxiety, stomach upset, headaches, and the jitters. Caffeine makes it hard to sleep, it can keep you awake even if you don’t want to be.
How someone reacts to caffeine depends on a person’s age, weight, gender, and caffeine sensitivity. Caffeine increases heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones. People with certain medical conditions should avoid caffeine.
How someone reacts to caffeine depends on a person’s age, weight, gender, and caffeine sensitivity. Caffeine increases heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones. People with certain medical conditions should avoid caffeine.
How Does Caffeine Affect Blood Sugar Levels?
While scientists are still learning how caffeine affects your insulin and blood sugar levels. Some studies suggest that drinking coffee — whether caffeinated or decaffeinated — may actually reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.However if a person already has diabetes, the impact of caffeine on insulin action may be associated with higher or lower blood sugar levels.
Here are some ways in which caffeine causes blood sugar spikes:
Here are some ways in which caffeine causes blood sugar spikes:
- It increases levels of stress hormones like adrenaline which reduce the body’s capability of processing sugars.
- It blocks adenosine (a protein responsible for producing and monitoring insulin) insulin (the hormone responsible for maintaining blood sugar levels).
- t prevents you from sleeping. Lack of sleep can also lead to high blood sugar levels.
Ideal Caffeine Intake
For healthy adults, the FDA has cited- that about 4-5 cups of coffee (400 milligrams) daily usually does not cause any side effects. However, it is recommended that in case you’re particularly sensitive to caffeine since the actual digestion of it varies from person to person, you may want to avoid decaf beverages as well since they do contain trace amounts of caffeine in them.
Tracking Blood Sugar Levels
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In Conclusion
Caffeine is safe and quite beneficial when consumed in healthy amounts and its effects vary with every individual. Some of the biggest benefits of light-to-moderate caffeine are related to enhancing productivity and cognitive brain function. The timing of caffeine is also important as it may disrupt sleep. Which is why avoiding coffee consumption after 5 PM is a healthy choice for many. At the end of the day, mindful consumption of anything while keeping your individual needs in mind always creates a positive balance.