Another study has surfaced singing the praises of coffee. Not Mormon Coffee, of course (though surely happy results of such a study will come to light sometime in the future), but scientists have found there is a definite health benefit available to those who drink caffeine-laden coffee in moderation. An article in the Deseret News says,

“Nutrition scientists aren’t ready to recommend coffee as a dietary supplement, but they say something in it is definitely beneficial to controlling the course and perhaps the onset of type 2 diabetes — a mostly diet-based, self-induced metabolism disorder linked to dozens of serious illnesses…

“‘Coffee has surfaced as a beverage with a lot of up side and very little down side with respect to diabetes,’ said Michael Lefevre, a professor at Utah State University’s Center for Advanced Nutrition who is among researchers worldwide trying to get to the bottom of the coffee/diabetes connection.

“Benefits from coffee would appear to defy both logic and the findings of nearly every recent study on caffeine, the bean’s natural stimulant that is concentrated in the brewing process.”

The Deseret News article also points out that some research indicates negative effects of caffeine may negate the positive effects of coffee, yet

“Indications are and if initial data is correct, coffee is shown to help stop the liver from producing excess glucose, [Lefevre] said. ‘Coffee has a lot of antioxidants and that may protect the beta cells involved in diabetes from being damaged.’”

These findings may be welcome and hopeful news outside of Utah, but for many of the residents of that state it is not especially helpful. According to Deseret News, around 63 percent of men and 58 percent of women in Utah “are overweight or obese and therefore very prone to developing the illness.” And while Dr. Lefevre is conducting his research in Utah with “an abundant supply of diabetic subjects,” most of them “consider drinking coffee against their religion.”

The LDS health code known as the Word of Wisdom forbids “hot drinks,” which has been understood and taught by LDS leaders to mean coffee and tea. Therefore, Mormons cannot obey their religion and at the same time realize the health benefits of coffee drinking.

Researchers are busy trying to isolate the diabetes-related health component found in coffee, hoping to someday put it in pill form. For the sake of non-coffee-drinkers everywhere, we wish them success and Godspeed.