Viking Dan
04-03-2006, 11:41 AM
Coffee and Insulin
Both The Zone and Dr. Atkins frown on coffee because it can negatively affect blood sugar, which will affect the body's ability to burn fat. How can a zero calorie beverage affect blood sugar? According to the Canadian Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.ca/Section_About/caffeine.asp): Drinking caffeine in large amounts as coffee over a short period of time has been shown to raise blood sugar. Caffeine does this by enhancing the effect of two hormones (adrenaline and glucagon). These two hormones release stored sugar from the liver resulting in high blood sugar. And what happens when blood sugar levels are increased? From the Running Planet article The Glycemic Index – How to use it to Increase Your Energy And Lose Weight (http://www.runningplanet.com/articles/article_detail.asp?article_id=430): This results in large amounts of insulin being dumped into your blood stream. Remember that the job of insulin is to regulate your blood sugar. It needs to do something with the excess glucose (sugar). The easiest thing for insulin to do with it is to store it in your body as fat. Simply put: coffee can affect your blood sugar which could interfere with the body's ability to burn fat.
These fears of coffee may be over-stated. Even though the authors of these 2 diets do not favor coffee, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that either of these diets can be successful despite the continued consumption of coffee. And there is some non-ancedotal research, which indicates that exercise helps stabilize blood sugar after ingesting caffeine.
I recall Atkins frowned on caffeine (at least during induction.) I guess I have to switch to tea now?
Both The Zone and Dr. Atkins frown on coffee because it can negatively affect blood sugar, which will affect the body's ability to burn fat. How can a zero calorie beverage affect blood sugar? According to the Canadian Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.ca/Section_About/caffeine.asp): Drinking caffeine in large amounts as coffee over a short period of time has been shown to raise blood sugar. Caffeine does this by enhancing the effect of two hormones (adrenaline and glucagon). These two hormones release stored sugar from the liver resulting in high blood sugar. And what happens when blood sugar levels are increased? From the Running Planet article The Glycemic Index – How to use it to Increase Your Energy And Lose Weight (http://www.runningplanet.com/articles/article_detail.asp?article_id=430): This results in large amounts of insulin being dumped into your blood stream. Remember that the job of insulin is to regulate your blood sugar. It needs to do something with the excess glucose (sugar). The easiest thing for insulin to do with it is to store it in your body as fat. Simply put: coffee can affect your blood sugar which could interfere with the body's ability to burn fat.
These fears of coffee may be over-stated. Even though the authors of these 2 diets do not favor coffee, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that either of these diets can be successful despite the continued consumption of coffee. And there is some non-ancedotal research, which indicates that exercise helps stabilize blood sugar after ingesting caffeine.
I recall Atkins frowned on caffeine (at least during induction.) I guess I have to switch to tea now?