In a recent study from Kyushu University, researchers found that drinking plenty of both green tea and coffee is linked to a lower risk of dying from any cause among people with type 2 diabetes.
Drinking 4 or more daily cups of green tea plus 2 or more of coffee was associated with a 63% lower risk of death over a period of around 5 years.
People with type 2 diabetes are more prone to circulatory diseases, dementia, cancer, and bone fractures.
And despite an increasing number of effective drugs, lifestyle modifications, such as exercise and diet, remain a cornerstone of treatment.
Previously research suggested that regularly drinking green tea and coffee may be beneficial for health because of the various bioactive compounds these beverages contain.
In the study, the team tracked the health of 4923 Japanese people with type 2 diabetes for an average of just over 5 years.
They each filled in a 58-item food and drink questionnaire, which included questions on how much green tea and coffee they drank every day.
During the monitoring period, 309 people (218 men, 91 women) died. The main causes of death were cancer (114) and cardiovascular disease (76).
The team found that compared with those who drank neither beverage, those who drank one or both had lower odds of dying from any cause, with the lowest odds associated with drinking higher quantities of both green tea and coffee.
Drinking up to 1 cup of green tea every day was linked to 15% lower odds of death; while drinking 2-3 cups was linked to 27% lower odds. Getting through 4 or more daily cups was associated with 40% lower odds.
Among coffee drinkers, up to 1 daily cup was associated with 12% lower odds; while 1 cup a day was associated with 19% lower odds. And 2 or more cups were associated with 41% lower odds.
The risk of death was even lower for those who drank both green tea and coffee every day: 51% lower for 2-3 cups of green tea plus 2 or more of coffee; 58% lower for 4 or more cups of green tea plus 1 cup of coffee every day; and 63% lower for a combination of 4 or more cups of green tea and 2 or more cups of coffee every day.
The team says the biology behind these observations isn’t fully understood. Green tea contains several antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, including phenols and theanine, as well as caffeine.
Coffee also contains numerous bioactive components, including phenols. As well as its potentially harmful effects on the circulatory system, caffeine is thought to alter insulin production and sensitivity.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about common food that may help lower the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes, and the key to treating type 2 diabetes.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about drug that could prevent kidney failure in people with diabetes, and results showing scientists find a cure for type 2 diabetes.
The study is published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care and was conducted by Yuji Komorita et al.
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