Drinking coffee may do more than get you going in the morning. There’s new evidence that coffee may help guard against diabetes, according to a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

Researchers fed either water or coffee to a group of laboratory mice commonly used to study diabetes.

They found that coffee consumption prevented the development of high blood sugar and also improved insulin sensitivity in the mice, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes.

Coffee also caused a cascade of other beneficial changes in the fatty liver and inflammatory adipocytokines related to a reduced diabetes risk.

Scientists involved with the study say caffeine is most likely responsible for the benefits, calling it, "one of the most effective anti-diabetic compounds in coffee."

Diabetes affects nearly 24 million people in the United States, and close to 250 million people worldwide.

According to the Mayo Clinic, risk factors for developing diabetes include family history, being overweight, leading an inactive lifestyle, and high blood pressure.

Exercising, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a healthy diet are among the best ways to prevent diabetes and control blood sugar levels naturally.