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Harvard Medical School Report Claims Coffee Can Reduce Type 2 Diabetes By 42 Percent

NEW YORK, NY, October 7, 2009 – A new publication from Harvard Medical School claims that drinking two cups of coffee per day can lower the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 42%.The study, entitled Healthy Eating for Type 2 Diabetes, also states that those who drink one cup of coffee a day as compared to no coffee at all were shown to have a 13% lower risk of developing the disease.

The 42% reduction in risk of developing Type 2 diabetes is comparable to the benefit of a diet high in fiber from whole grains, which provides a 40% risk reduction. The findings are the result of studies which analyzed men’s and women’s reports of what they ate. Coffee is cited in a list of beneficial dietary choices which play a part in the healthy lifestyle outlined in the report.

The medical editors of Healthy Eating for Type 2 Diabetes, David M. Nathan, M.D. and Kathy McManus, M.S., R.D. state, “In fact, dietitians and other health professionals give the same dietary advice to people with diabetes as they do to most people, but with extra emphasis on controlling weight and keeping blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol values as close to normal as possible. The basics: eat a well-balanced diet that emphasizes fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein, while watching total calories and getting regular exercise.”

Harvard Health Publications publishes an extensive series of special health reports, monthly newsletters guides and books. Its Harvard Women’s Health Watch recently focused on other benefits of moderate coffee consumption, including improved cognitive functioning and endurance performance in long- duration physical activities, possible reduction in the risk of developing gallstones and colon cancer, and in individuals at high risk for liver disease, a lessening of liver damage.

This positive information about the benefits of coffee is the latest in a series of good news about coffee. Studies and papers by scientists around the world are finding that coffee provides significant antioxidant protection; Further, moderate coffee consumption reduces the risks of Parkinson's Disease and liver cancer, improves mental acuity and offers other advantages, as well.

NCA
The National Coffee Association of the U.S.A., Inc. (NCA), established in 1911, is the leading trade organization for the coffee industry in the United States. NCA is the only trade association that serves all segments of the US coffee industry, including traditional and specialty companies. A majority of NCA membership, which accounts for over 90% of US coffee commerce, is small and mid-sized companies and includes growers, roasters, retailers, importer/exporters, wholesaler/suppliers, and allied industry businesses.

NCA provides a wide array of services, focusing on market and scientific research, domestic and international government relations, issues management and public relations, and education. The NCA’s mission is to champion the well-being of the US coffee industry within the context of the world coffee community. To learn more about coffee's health benefits, go to www.coffeescience.org

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