Washing breakfast down with a cup of coffee before heading to work is one way to avoid Type 2 diabetes, according to two new studies published ahead of World Diabetes Day.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/Soili Jussila
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People who forgo breakfast also tend to have an unhealthy diet throughout the day. Perhaps they snack on something sweet to stave off the hunger, or they may be more inclined to smoke than someone whose stomach is busy digesting whole-grain bread or cereal.
A coffee in bed before heading to work? It might be better eat some whole-grain cereal firstImage: picture-alliance/ Bildagentur-online/Tetra-Images
Paradox: Overweight people skip breakfast more often
The nutritionists analyzed data from 96,175 participants, of whom 4,935 developed Type 2 diabetes during the course of the study.
They found that obese people tended to skip their breakfast more frequently than those who were not obese. Obesity is an important risk factor in the development of this form of diabetes.
Coffee could help
So, it seems it's important to always eat a good breakfast. But what should you drink for breakfast? Water, orange juice or perhaps a tea?
Coffee is best the option, according to a metastudy by the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC).
Antioxidative and anti-inflammatory agents in coffee
The report concluded that coffee can reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes by 25 percent.
Mattias Carlström, who teaches medicine and pharmacology at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, evaluated 30 individual studies with 1,185,210 participants.
Kjeld Hermansen, who helped research the report and is a medical professor at Denmark's University Hospital in Aarhus, said the bitter brew's protective effect is down to its antioxidant components. Coffee helps reduce inflammation and, being a warm drink, also stimulates the stomach's metabolic activity and microbiome.
Hermansen recommended three to four cups of coffee a day — for both women and men. And anyone who doesn't want to pay for the mentioned health benefits with tachycardia — a common type of heart rhythm disorder — and high blood pressure, can simply drink decaffeinated coffee. It works just as well.
Sugar is tasty, but not exactly good for you. Consumption of the sugary stuff is rising, and that’s having an impact on health. The WHO has warned of a “global epidemic.” Here are a few facts you really should know.
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Sugar makes you fat!
Sugar is converted to fat in the body about two to five times more quickly than starches. In other words, when we consume sugar, we’re feeding our fat cells. The fructose in sugar is also metabolized by the liver, which can contribute to fatty liver disease. That can promote insulin resistance and lead to Type 2 diabetes – with a lifelong impact on your health.
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Sugar affects your mood!
In small amounts, sugar promotes the release of serotonin, a hormone that boosts mood. But too much sugar can promote depression and anxiety. Sudden shifts in blood sugar levels can also lead to irritability, anxiety and mood swings.
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Sugar contributes to aging!
We already know that sugar has a variety of health effects, but it also affects the skin. That’s in part due to glycation, the process whereby sugar molecules bind to collagen fibers. As a result, the collagen fibers lose their natural elasticity. Excess sugar also damages microcirculation, which slows cell turnover. That can promote the development of wrinkles, make you look older than your age.
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Sugar is harmful to your gut!
The microflora of your gut promote digestion and protect your digestive system from harmful bacteria. Consuming too much sugar gets your gut microflora out of whack. Fungi and parasites love sugar. An excess of the Candida albicans yeast can lead to a host of annoying health symptoms. And sugar also contributes to constipation, diarrhea and gas.
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Sugar can be addictive!
In overweight people, the brain responds to sugar by releasing dopamine, in much the same way that it responds to alcohol or other addictive substances. Test it yourself: avoid all sugary foods and beverages for ten days. If you start to get headachy and irritable after a day or two, and start craving sugar, then you could be suffering from sugar withdrawal.
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Sugar makes you aggressive!
People who consume excess sugar are more likely to engage in aggressive behavior. Children with ADHD are also affected by sugar. For these children, too much sugar affects concentration and promotes hyperactivity. That’s why it’s a good idea for children to avoid eating sugar during school hours.
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Sugar weakens the immune system!
Excessive sugar consumption makes it harder for the immune system to ward off disease. After consuming sugar, the immune system’s ability to kill germs is reduced by up to 40 percent. Sugar also saps the body’s store of vitamin C, which white blood cells need to fight off viruses and bacteria. Sugar also promotes the inflammatory response, and even minor inflammation can trigger numerous diseases.
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Sugar promotes Alzheimer’s disease!
Studies have shown that excess sugar consumption increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. A 2013 study showed that insulin resistance and high blood sugar values – both of which are common in diabetes – are associated with a higher risk of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
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Sugar increases cancer risk!
Cancer cells need sugar to proliferate. An international research team headed by Lewis Cantley of Harvard Medical School is researching how sugar might contribute to the growth of malignant cells. He believes that refined sugar may be what causes cancer cells to develop into tumors. He’s still testing that hypothesis but recommends that even slender people consume as little sugar as possible.
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Sugar makes you stupid!
Excess sugar consumption may have a negative impact on memory. According to a study carried out by Berlin’s Charité University Hospital, people with high blood sugar levels have a smaller hippocampus – the part of the brain that’s key to long term memory. In the study, people with high blood sugar also performed more poorly on tests of memory than those with low blood sugar levels.
