5 drinks that can help you prevent diabetes

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Research shows if you have more than three sugar-sweetened beverages per week, your chance of developing pre-diabetes increases by 46%. However, there are beverages you should be drinking to reverse your risk.

Data shows one in three people in the U.S. have pre-diabetes.

"Often, if the blood sugars are borderline, people don't know," said endocrinologist Amber Champion with the University of Nevada in Las Vegas.

"Even with type 2 diabetes, sometimes people are not symptomatic until blood sugar levels are very high," said Alison Massey, a registered dietitian.

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%," said Massey.

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 include plant-based milk, whole-fruit smoothies, and flavored carbonated water.

Even if you have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes, you can still prevent getting diabetes altogether.

Experts say if you exercise, cut out sugary drinks, and eat nutritiously, you have a 30% chance of reversing pre-diabetes.