Coffee Counters The Onset Of Diabetes

Coffee is one of the popular beverages in the world. Nobody knows where coffee began its journey and probably, it all began in Ethiopia. Strangely enough, the greatest coffee drinking countries are those which do not produce them. The only exception is Brazil which is the leading producer of coffee and the second largest consumer in the world. Colombia is the second largest producer of coffee. The leading consumer is the USA which is believed to consume 25% of the coffee produced in the world. 54% of the Americans over the age of 18 are coffee drinkers. America spends nearly $40 billion in coffee consumption. Coffee is the second commonly traded commodity after oil. Around 53 countries grow coffee and most of them lie along the equator.

Each year around 7 million tons of green beans are produced worldwide. Arabica and Robusta are the most popular varieties. Coffee contains hundreds of chemicals and for decades, scientists have been trying to portray it as a villain. In spite of spending millions of dollars, nobody has succeeded in producing concrete evidence that coffee is bad for health. Instead, good news about the beneficial effects of coffee is pouring in.

Coffee supplies antioxidants

It has been shown that drinking three to four cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk for heart disease by 45%. However, when the consumption is over six cups, the beneficial effects decrease. Chlorogenic acid present in coffee is an antioxidant. In addition, caffeine also has been shown to be an antioxidant. HDL whose levels are elevated by coffee consumption is also an antioxidant. The antioxidants protect by preventing the initiation of inflammatory reactions. The antioxidants prevent the accumulation of dangerous free radicals which are believed to be responsible for the onset of several diseases like diabetes.

Coffee decreases diabetes risk
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by abnormal body metabolism. Just about every part of the body is affected. Coffee contains significant quantities of magnesium. Magnesium helps to prevent the onset of diabetes because it promotes the actions of insulin. For example, one of the actions of insulin is to promote the utilization of glucose within the cells. The first step in the glucose utilization is catalyzed by an enzyme called hexokinase and this enzyme shows an obligatory requirement for magnesium.

The protein called sex hormone-binding globulin is concerned with the binding of sex hormones and has been implicated in the onset of diabetes. The level of this protein in the circulation falls during diabetes. High circulating levels of this protein is believed to protect against the onset of type 2 diabetes. Drinking four cups of coffee a day has been shown to increase the blood levels of sex hormone-binding globulin. Therefore coffee can reduce the risk for diabetes. Coffee also protects the heart because diabetes increases the risk for coronary heart disease.