A cup of coffee is crucial to the mornings of many people across the nation. For many, multiple cups of the drink are necessary to get through the day. According to the British Coffee Association, the UK consumes a staggering 98 million cups every day and officially became the nation’s favourite hot drink in 2023.
Now, in addition to being the ultimate morning pick-me-up, new research has revealed that the nation’s favourite brew could help lower the risks of developing Type 2 diabetes, a condition that impacts 4.5 million people in the UK.
Researchers affiliated with universities in South Korea used data from 149 publications to examine coffee’s effects on the metabolic processes that are linked to the development of the condition.
According to their findings, those who drink three to five cups of coffee per day benefit from natural compounds known as polyphenols, reports Healthline.
They focused on five hydroxycinnamic acids found in coffee and analysed the effects that polyphenols have on the small intestines, pancreas, liver, and tissue.
It was found that daily consumption of black coffee can help regulate blood sugar levels, suppress inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity, provide antioxidant properties, and improve glucose metabolism.
The results were similar for both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, suggesting that the benefits, including a 20% to 30% lower risk of type 2 diabetes for regular coffee drinkers, came from compounds other than caffeine.
The findings were published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
The researchers wrote: “Coffee and its bioactive compounds, including chlorogenic acid and its hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives… have significant potential in the prevention and management of [Type 2 diabetes].”
Zhaoping Li, a professor of medicine and the chief of the Division of Clinical Nutrition at the University of California, was not involved in the study but agreed with the findings.
The professor told Healthline: “Drinking coffee provides natural benefits. You can make coffee part of your healthy lifestyle.”
She also explained that black coffee is basically just coffee beans and hot water. Coffee beans contain around 200 compounds, some of which have potential health benefits, and sometimes, the mixture of compounds can also be useful.
Marilyn Tan, a clinical associate professor of medicine at Stanford University in California who was also not involved in the study, said that while the findings are notable, the study involves research reviewed in lab settings, which don’t always account for external factors such as the overall health of coffee drinkers.
“[The research] is a very bold statement, as a 20–30% risk reduction is very large and meaningful,” she told Healthline. “Interestingly, whether the coffee was caffeinated or not did not seem to make a difference, which suggests it’s not the caffeine driving the benefit, but rather the other components of the coffee.”
The study’s scientists say that further research is necessary. However, daily coffee consumption does have benefits, which come from drinking it black without adding sugar or cream.
Coffee drinkers should still be wary of their caffeine intake, especially those with heart conditions. Those who cannot tolerate a lot of caffeine can enjoy decaffeinated coffee, as the caffeine is removed, but all the beneficial compounds remain.