I have recently been delaying eating until the afternoon, only having tea at home and a strong coffee when I went out. However, I was horrified to discover that the coffee seems to raise my blood sugar enormously. It was 5.3 this morning and without food except for one strong coffee was 8.5 when I got home. I have decided to drink decaffeinated tea and coffee for my 8 weeks and see if that makes a difference. I find both whittards and Taylor’s decaf tea as nice as the normal sort, and the green Illy tins of decaf are good too, so it won’t be a hardship by any means, except most cafes don’t serve decaf. Anyone have any thoughts or experience on this?

Hi chasigthedream
a few years ago I worked in a medical research charity, trialing varying drug regimes and new drugs on patients.
Our research wasn’t diabetes related, but all drinks in the kitchen were decaff only (special staff cupboard where real teabags were kept under lock and key, and leaving it unlocked was a reportable incident) – simply because of the impact of caffeine on BP, sugars, and tons of other stuff that we may have been measuring across the different trials.

It didn’t bother me at the time, because I was incredibly anaemic, and caffeine impedes iron absorption too, but based on that, what you’ve experienced doesn’t surprise me.

I had a friend staying a few weeks ago that only drinks decaf in the evenings – I have typhoo decaffeinated that she said were much nicer than whatever she normally has at home.

It might be a London thing, I don’t know where you’re based, but most cafes around here offer decaf options – if you ask, you’ll either be successful, or demonstrate to the cafes concerned that there is a demand for decaf. You can always carry teabags with you – or alternatively, cutting down on caffeine and only having the occasional tea when you’re out may be sufficient.

I didn’t eat meat for many years – I spent years asking for veggie burgers in MacDonalds simply to make a point – then they started to sell them, and I had to buy one.

Thanks so much for this. You should definitely try whittards or Taylor’s decaf teabags, they seem to me to be indistinguishable from the caffed ones. I am in Newcastle, which is not short of trendy cafes, particularly in Fenwicks so I am off into town tomorrow to see what is available. I’m a bit wary of decaf coffee because the only one I have found which is OK is the Illy one. I might have to start drinking coffee at home and take my teabags out with me – just until Christmas.

Check your blood sugar after the decaf and see if it really is the caf. coffee that’s causing the spike.

I wondered if it may be the way the body handles blood sugar when you do a lot of activity before eating anything especially if one isn’t used to doing that?? While you weren’t exercising you are active.

Just wondering. It may really be the stimulation from the caffeine … or even a combination.

As in Why Do Blood Glucose Levels Sometimes Go Up after Physical Activity?

http://www.joslin.org/info/why_do_blood_glucose_levels_sometimes_go_up_after_physical_activity.html

When you exercise your muscles need more glucose to supply energy. In response, your liver increases the amount of glucose it releases into your bloodstream. Remember, however, that the glucose needs insulin in order to be used by your muscles. So if you do not have enough insulin available, your blood glucose levels can actually increase right after exercise. Basically, stimulated by the demand from your exercising muscles, your body is pouring glucose into your bloodstream. If you do not have enough insulin available to “unlock the door” to your muscles, the glucose cannot get into your muscles to provide needed energy. The end result is that glucose backs-up in your bloodstream, causing higher blood glucose readings.

Ouseburn Coffee in Fenwicks do decaf cappuccino and it’s just as good as the full fat! My morning coffee is back on the menu