Drinking These 2 Things in the Morning Could Save Your Life, Study Finds

 

Everyone who's looking after their health tends to focus on two things: the physical activities they're doing and the foods and drinks they're consuming. For those living with diabetes, however, monitoring what you eat and drink is a constant task. And while "everything in moderation" tends to be the common mantra, it turns out that a rather large quantity of two drinks in particular could decrease your risk of dying from the disease. A recent study found that drinking a hefty amount of coffee and green tea each day is associated with a 63 percent lower all-cause mortality rate among people

with type-2 diabetes.

Can coffee and green tea really help diabetes patients?

Type-2 diabetes is one of the most common conditions in America, with more than 1 in 10 adults living with it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Globally the disease affects around 422 million people. And while medication can successfully reduce the risks of the disease, any drug regime is likely to be costly and may come with side-effects, so beneficial lifestyle changes, like watching what you eat and drink, are encouraged. And if you're concerned about your health, This Quick Trick Can Determine Your Diabetes Risk, Study Says.

How does green tea help you stay healthy?

Previous studies have looked at the benefits of green tea, with some showing that it lowers the risk of developing diabetes, and others showing that it may generally improve glucose control and insulin sensitivity. However, a new study performed by researchers out of Kyushu University, Fukuoka Dental College, and Hakujyuji Hospital in Japan looked at those who already have type-2 diabetes to see how green tea affected them.

The scientists studied 4,923 patients, with an average age of 66, for a period of over five years. Allowing for other variables, the researchers found that those who just drank four or more cups of green tea per day had 40 percent lower odds of dying during the study's follow-up period. And for more healthy behavior to adopt, these are 50 Doctor-Approved Habits You Should Totally Steal.

And what about coffee?

Similarly, coffee has been shown to lower one's risk of developing type-2 diabetes, but on this occasion, the researchers looked at those already living with diabetes. And the study, which published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research&Care, found that drinking two or more cups of coffee per day decreased all-cause mortality by a comparable 41 percent. And for more benefits of that cup of joe, Drinking This Much Coffee Every Day Can Save Your Liver, Study Says.

But drinking both coffee and green tea has the best effect.

Drinking both caffeinated beverages maximized the benefits. "The combination of higher green tea and coffee consumption significantly reduced all-cause mortality risk by 63 percent," the study authors wrote. Those who drank four or more cups of green tea and two or more cups of coffee unlocked that benefit.

The report stressed that other factors are likely to be at play—"Higher educational or income levels may be associated with greater coffee consumption; they may also be related to lower mortality risk," the researchers note—but it's more weight to the theory that sensible consumption of coffee and green tea are good for us. And for more on when to consume one of these beverages, This Is the Worst Time to Drink Your Morning Coffee, Study Says.

 

-Best Life