A recent study from Duke University shows that caffeine increases blood sugar levels in diabetics who regularly drink coffee.
These findings are surprising because coffee contains no calories and has a glycemic index of 0. However, caffeine is a stimulant similar to the fight-or-flight response. The fight-or flight response causes a rise in blood sugar.
The problem is that diabetics are not being told to avoid caffeine as part of their blood-sugar control.
If you’re diabetic and consume a lot of caffeine, you may want to consider this new research, especially if your blood sugar levels are not well-controlled.
Here are some tips for caffeine control:
1. Don’t go cold-turkey.
2. Limit consumption of decaf. Even decaf has a small amount of caffeine.
3. Herbal tea or green tea makes a good antioxidant rich substitute when you’re craving a hot beverage.
4. Replace your coffee break with an oxygen break. Do one to two minutes of deep breathing.
5. Move around. You can instantly increase your alertness by getting up, stretching or walking briskly–even for one or two minutes.
Make sure to talk to your doctor about caffeine consumption if you are diabetic.