Pour Yourself a Mug of Diabetes PREVENTION
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted January 29, 2023
Dear Living Well Daily Reader,
Coffee has been the victim of a misinformation campaign for decades.
The idea that java juice could be bad for your health began to bubble up around the turn of the 20th century.
Folks checking into sanatoriums for burnout and other mental health issues were counseled that all “stimulants,” including coffee, were unhealthy.
After spending some time at one of these convalescence hospitals, entrepreneur and salesman C.W. Post developed a coffee substitute he named Postum.
By 1905 his ads slamming coffee (and promoting Postum) were EVERYWHERE. They made wild claims about the illnesses caused by America’s favorite breakfast beverage, ranging from blindness to an inability to be successful.
The idea that caffeine and coffee were harmful stuck.
And, as anyone who’s had their name besmirched by a high school gossip (or a crazed entrepreneur) knows, it can take YEARS to undo those kinds of damaging lies.
But the SCIENCE is clear. Studies show coffee has bunches of benefits. It can boost heart health, fight memory loss, and even improve metabolism.
And more recent research has found coffee can SLASH your diabetes risk.
But there’s one small catch. To get those diabetes-fighting benefits, it has to be the RIGHT kind of coffee.
Most folks make their coffee in one of two ways.
The first is the mix or boil method. The process is simple: mix hot (or boiling) water and coffee grounds together.
It includes the French Press, instant mixes, expresso, and machines like the Keurig coffee makers.
The second method is the filter or drip method, like a standard “old-fashioned” coffee pot or pour-over setup.
According to a leading market and consumer data company, the two methods are used about equally. BUT, researchers say the filtered-coffee drinkers get the most diabetes and heart protection BY FAR.
When scientists directly compared the health benefits of boiled versus filtered coffee, there were some surprising differences.
Folks who drank up to three FILTERED coffees a day were a stunning 60 percent less likely to be diagnosed with type two diabetes than folks who drank only one.
Boiled coffee didn’t have ANY diabetes risk-reducing effects. Likely because of the presence of diterpenes.
These compounds are associated with high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and heart and vascular disease. Plus, scientists speculate diterpenes may also negatively affect how your body metabolizes sugar.
On the other hand, filtered coffee drinkers had far higher levels of antioxidant phenolic compounds. These nutrients support your heart by reducing oxidative damage and relaxing blood vessels. Plus, they reduce elevated blood sugar and insulin resistance.
If you’re a java fan and aren’t already drinking filtered coffee, I encourage you to make the switch today.
P.S. Patients often ask me if they should drink light or dark roast. But the REAL question we want to ask is, “Which roasting method produces the most health benefits?” And the answer might surprise you.
Source:
“Plasma metabolite biomarkers of boiled and filtered coffee intake and their association with type 2 diabetes risk,” Journal of Internal Medicine, Volume287, Issue4, April 2020, Pages 405-421, https://doi.org/10.1111/joim.13009
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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