Coffee’s protection against type 2 diabetes explained

Paul Smithson

12/01/2012 10:27:59

Researchers in China have offered a theory as to why coffee consumption is associated with lower incidence of type 2 diabetes, reports Eurekalert.

The team identified two compounds in coffee that restrict the development of a substance called human islet amyloid polypeptide (hIAPP) that has been linked with diabetes in previous studies on the topic.

Led by Ling Zheng and Kun Huang, the research group concluded that the way coffee blocks hIAPP could be the reason for the link between coffee consumption and type 2 diabetes, stating: “A beneficial effect may thus be expected for a regular coffee drinker.”

There have been a number of medical studies published that support the connection between espresso machine use and a lower incidence of the disorder, with a recent report claiming that people who drink four or more cups of coffee have a 50 per cent lower risk of developing it.

While there has been plenty of interest from scientists in relation to coffee’s affect on the human body, expert minds are also needed to deal with problems in the production side of the beans.

The University of California, Riverside Newsroom reported that Rwanda is currently calling in some of the top agricultural academics to look into remedying the so-called ‘potato taste’ defect in crops, believed caused in part by a bug called antestia.

When the insects feed on the plants they can alter the taste of the beans, according to the latest hypothesis.