Diabetes is on the rise. In fact, more than one in three people in the U.S. have prediabetes, the condition that leads to diabetes.
“Often, if the blood sugars are borderline, people don’t know,” said Dr. Amber Champion, an endocrinologist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Research shows that if you have more than three sugar-sweetened beverages per week, your chance of developing prediabetes increases by 46%.
“Even with Type 2 diabetes, sometimes people are not symptomatic until blood sugar levels are very high,” said Alison Massey, a Registered Dietitian from Flourish Nutrition Therapy & Wellness.
What you eat and drink plays a big role in your risk of getting diabetes. Research shows just having two cans of sugary drinks a day can increase your risk for Type 2 diabetes by 26%.
“We have research that supports that lifestyle change is so powerful at reducing your risk for developing type 2 diabetes by about 50%,” Massey said.
In fact, there are drinks that can lower your risk. A study in China found drinking at least four cups of black, green or oolong teas a day was linked to a 17% lower risk of developing diabetes.
Another study in Japan found people who had three cups of coffee per day were 33% less likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than people who consumed less than one cup per week.
Some other drinks that can help: plant-based milk, whole-fruit smoothies, and flavored carbonated water. With some simple ways to drink away your diabetes risk.
Even if you have been diagnosed with prediabetes, you can still prevent getting diabetes and stop prediabetes altogether.
Experts say if you exercise, cut out sugary drinks, and eat right, you have a 30% chance of reversing prediabetes.