Nutrition Diva Your questions about coffee and health
Jan 21, 2026
Exploring the impact of coffee on health, caffeine gives a modest cortisol boost but doesn’t harm blood sugar. Surprisingly, regular coffee may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. The brewing method plays a crucial role, with French press extracting the most antioxidants. Espresso packs more caffeine per ounce, yet smaller servings often limit intake. Additionally, caffeine can worsen bladder urgency, prompting suggestions for moderation. In this deep dive, coffee's health benefits and quirks are analyzed, satisfying curious listeners!
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Morning Coffee's Cortisol Impact Is Minimal
- Caffeine raises cortisol modestly, but the morning cortisol peak makes that bump negligible for most people.
- Regular coffee drinkers show smaller cortisol responses and coffee doesn't meaningfully disrupt daily blood sugar control.
Caffeine's Short-Term Blood Sugar Effect Vs Long-Term Benefit
- Caffeine can temporarily blunt insulin sensitivity causing higher post-meal blood sugar peaks in lab settings.
- Despite this, regular coffee consumption is associated with lower long-term type 2 diabetes risk, even for decaf drinkers.
Don’t Panic Over Normal Post-Meal Glucose Rises
- Don't worry: if your blood sugar rises after a meal that gradually returns to baseline, it's normal and not harmful.
- Focus on long-term patterns rather than small, temporary post-meal glucose increases unless you have diabetes.