Researchers at the National University of Singapore have found that drinking coffee during pregnancy may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in women who experience gestational diabetes. Research published American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Researchers followed more than 4,500 women with gestational diabetes for 25 years. It has previously been shown that women who experience gestational diabetes during pregnancy are 10 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than the average woman.
Compared with non-coffee drinkers, women who drank 4 or more cups a day after pregnancy had a 53% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Participants who drank 2-3 cups of coffee reduced their risk by 17%, while those who drank 1 cup a day or occasional coffee reduced their risk by 10%.
The authors of the study suggested that this effect of coffee may be related to the content of polyphenols in it. They’re also found in small amounts in some foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils, and whole grains.
Decaffeinated coffee did not have these benefits. But the researchers noted that relatively few women drink it. Maybe that’s why the link was not found.
Most of the participants were of European descent, so the scientists’ results may not have been confirmed in other populations.