What Teas Are Good For Diabetes?
Diabetes is one of the most common health problems Americans face - with more than 25 million people in the country suffering from this disease. It can be a serious disorder, and one that will definitely affect your life. You'll have to change your diet habits, find foods that won't affect your blood sugar, and basically transform your life! Did you know that tea can actually be good for diabetes? Black Tea Black tea is highly recommended for those with diabetes, as it contains a special polysaccharide compound that acts almost exactly like the diabetes drugs Precose and Glyset. These drugs are prescribed for Type 2 Diabetes, and they are effective at controlling the symptoms - by reducing the production of glucose. Green Tea Green tea can help to target diabetes specifically. Drinking green tea will stop your body from producing amylase - the enzyme that breaks down starches and turns them into sugar. As your body produces less amylase, it can only process so much starch at a time. This will slow down the rate at which it's turned into glucose, slowing the rise in your blood sugar levels. Green tea will also slow down the rate of absorbtion of starches. Matcha Another option is Matcha, which is a a powdered form of tea. Matcha is typically made from green tea, and contains all the good things in green tea in higher concentrations. Plus, it has soluable fiber which is recommended, beause it also helps slow the metolism of starches. New to the market are flavored matcha, which take natural essences to offer a variety of flavors. Matcha can be consumed straight or made like a latte. Chamomile Tea Chamomile tea is the soothing relaxant cup of goodness that we have all enjoyed when suffering from the flu, but it's also quite effective at dealing with diabetes symptoms. Cham Continue reading >>
Green Tea Diabetes Benefits: Effect Of Green Tea On Blood Sugar
Diabetes is a disease which is caused either due to the lack of proper production of insulin by the pancreas or due to the improper use of insulin in the human body. This gives rise to the blood sugar level or the glucose level in the body since the hormone insulin is responsible for the essential breakdown of carbohydrates and fats which, in turn, help in maintaining the required level of sugar and glucose in the blood.There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Both are equally common these days and is known to affect a wide population of individuals all across the globe. Treating diabetes could be extremely tricky as it comes along with several other complications such as cardiovascular and kidney-related diseases, diabetic eye, leg swelling, high blood pressure, amongst a host of other complications. Experts are always looking for something natural which can treat this extremely complicated disease. Although one you have caught the disease, it becomes almost impossible to eradicate it completely, the same can be controlled to a great extent if a healthy lifestyle is followed. One such approach is the regular consumption of green tea. The drink is a rich source of several essential vitamins, amino acids, polyphenols, alkaloids, etc. due to which the drink is no less than a miracle. It treats heart and kidney related diseases, has a stimulating effect, helps control bad cholesterol and even high blood pressure. In this article, we shall try to explore the various benefits of green tea that the drink has for a diabetes patient. Green tea has garnered instant popularity owing to the healing properties. Today we shall find out the different compounds and chemicals that are present in the tea due to which it is not only beneficial for those suffering Continue reading >>
Review Article Green Tea And Type 2 Diabetes
Abstract Green tea and coffee consumption have been widely popular worldwide. These beverages contain caffeine to activate the central nervous system by adenosine receptor blockade, and due to the caffeine, addiction or tolerance may occur. In addition to this caffeine effect, green tea and coffee consumption have always been at the center of discussions about human health, disease, and longevity. In particular, green tea catechins are involved in many biological activities such as antioxidation and modulation of various cellular lipid and proteins. Thus, they are beneficial against degenerative diseases, including obesity, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and various inflammatory diseases. Some reports also suggest that daily consumption of tea catechins may help in controlling type 2 diabetes. However, other studies have reported that chronic consumption of green tea may result in hepatic failure, neuronal damage, and exacerbation of diabetes, suggesting that interindividual variations in the green tea effect are large. This review will focus on the effect of green tea catechins extracted from the Camellia sinensis plant on type 2 diabetes and obesity, and the possible mechanistic explanation for the experimental results mainly from our laboratory. It is hoped that green tea can be consumed in a suitable manner as a supplement to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Fig. 2. Schematic representation of gallated catechins inhibiting glucose uptake and micelle formation. Polyethylene glycol-3350 or poly-γ-glutamate blocks absorption of gallate catechins into circulation. Broken lines represent movement of the molecules; unbroken arrow line represents facilitation by insulin; unbroken block lines represent inhibition by GC. C, chylomicron; F, dietary f Continue reading >>
The Effects Of Green Tea On Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are major public health issues worldwide, contributing to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The proportions of people with obesity and/or type 2 diabetes have increased and recently reaching epidemic levels in Asia [1]. Although pharmacologic modality is the mainstay treatment of diabetes, remedies using plants (e.g., garlic, psyllium, and green tea) have stimulated a new interest in research [2]. Green tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the world's most popular beverages, especially in Asian countries including Korea, China, and Japan. Because of the high rate of green tea consumption in these populations, even small effects on an individual basis could have a large public health impact [3]. A population-based, prospective cohort study has shown that green tea consumption is associated with reduced mortality due to all causes and cardiovascular disease as well [4], and randomized controlled trials have indicated that green tea is effective in decreasing blood pressure, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, oxidative stress, and a marker of chronic inflammation [5]. Various studies have shown the beneficial effects of green tea, not only on cardiovascular diseases but also on obesity and type 2 diabetes itself [6,7]. In a retrospective cohort study performed in Japan, a 33% risk reduction of developing type 2 diabetes was found in subjects consuming six or more cups of green tea daily compared to those consuming less than 1 cup per week [6]. Wu et al. [7] reported that Taiwanese subjects who had habitually consumed tea for more than 10 years showed lower body fat composition and smaller waist circumference. Evidences from epidemiological studies suggest the possibility of green tea being a novel strategy for treatment or prevent Continue reading >>
Why Drinking Tea May Help Prevent And Manage Type 2 Diabetes
The fountain of youth still remains elusive, but there's something that seems close: green tea. People have been drinking tea for centuries, and today it's the second most popular drink in the world (after water). Some of that popularity may stem from the many widely recognized benefits of tea, including its reported power to prevent cancer and to sharpen mental health. But tea may offer health benefits related to diabetes, too. “We know people with diabetes have problems metabolizing sugar,” says Suzanne Steinbaum, DO, a cardiologist, director of women’s heart health at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. “Insulin comes along to decrease sugar, but with type 2 diabetes, the body isn’t so sensitive to insulin, so blood sugar levels go up. Through a complex biochemical reaction, tea — especially green tea — helps sensitize cells so they are better able to metabolize sugar. Green tea is good for people with diabetes because it helps the metabolic system function better.” A 2013 research review published in the Diabetes and Metabolism Journal outlined the potential benefits of tea when it comes to diabetes as well as obesity, which is a risk factor for diabetes. It highlighted a Japanese study that found that people who drank 6 or more cups of green tea a day were 33 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than were people who drank less than a cup of green tea a week. It also reported on Taiwanese research that found that people who drank green tea regularly for more than a decade had smaller waists and a lower body fat composition than those who weren't regular consumers of green tea. Drinking tea for diabetes is such a good idea because tea contains substances called polyphenols, which are antioxidants found in every plant. “Polyphenols help r Continue reading >>
Green Tea Lowers The Blood Sugar Level
High blood levels of glucose and insulin predispose people to diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and are associated with accelerated aging. For many people, sugar is the primary culprit in the accumulation of body fat. One animal study showed a significant reduction in body fat in response to green tea catechin supplementation. Diabetes, or “sugar diabetes,” as it is most commonly referred to, is broken down into two main classes. Type One: Insulin Dependent Diabetes (IDDM) Type Two: Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes (NIDDM) Other forms of diabetes include gestational diabetes (during pregnancy), water diabetes, and several other rare types of diabetes. Diabetes is a disease characterized by the insufficient secretion or improper functioning of insulin. Insulin regulates the amount of blood sugar in our tissue. Improper absorption of blood sugar leads to excess concentrations that must be released through urine. If this continues for long periods of time, it can lead to a number of more serious illnesses. Green Tea Lowers the Blood Sugar Level Green tea polyphenols and polysaccharides are effective in lowering blood sugar. Another study showed that green tea extract reduced the normal elevation of glucose and insulin when 50 grams of starch were ingested. The polyphenol group of green tea catechins has been shown to lower blood sugars, as well as the polysaccharides in green tea. In fact, researchers have found that EGCG (also known as epigallocatechin gallete, one of the catechin polyphenols) influences the primary way that glucose is absorbed. EGCG may also help diabetics by mimicking the actions of insulin and inhibiting the liver’s production of glucose, thus lowering blood sugar. The liver produces some glucose, but the most common sugar spikes occur from the Continue reading >>
Go For The Green: Cool Down With Green Tea
How many of you are tea drinkers? If you’re a tea aficionado, you’re probably feeling pretty smug about all the positive news that’s come out over the past few years regarding the health benefits of tea. Tea has often been maligned because of its caffeine content, but now we know that tea is a powerhouse of antioxidants that may prevent all sorts of health problems. This week, I’ll focus on green tea in particular. Now that summer is upon us, many of you probably reach for a glass or bottle of iced tea to quench your thirst. New to the market are bottles of iced green tea (remember the days when iced tea only came in a powder that was more sugar than tea?). Several companies now make iced green tea, including Lipton, Snapple and AriZona. What’s so great about green tea, anyway? Well, first, green tea comes from the same plant as black tea, Camellia sinensis. While green tea might be something more of a novelty in the United States, it’s actually been quite popular in China for, oh, the past 5,000 years or so. Green tea is made from the unfermented leaves of the tea plant, and supposedly contains the highest amounts of polyphenols, which are types of antioxidants that fight free radicals and possibly prevent certain types of diseases. For thousands of years, people in China, India, and Thailand have used green tea for numerous medicinal purposes. Thanks to population studies, we now know much more about the health properties that green tea has to offer. For example, green tea may help prevent heart disease by improving cholesterol levels. In one recent study, 90% of the subjects who drank one liter of green tea daily for four weeks had a 9% reduction in LDL (bad) cholesterol, and, in 69% of the subjects, there was a 4% increase in HDL (good) cholesterol. In a Continue reading >>
Can Tea Help With Diabetes? Is It Beneficial?
When living with diabetes, every food and drink choice becomes a conversation. Deciding what you put in your body can be a daunting task when the consequences of choosing poorly are more extreme than what a person living without diabetes might face. It’s also true that food and drink choices can be some of the simplest, and most empowering, ways for people living with diabetes to manage their condition and its symptoms. There has been some evidence in recent years that drinking certain teas, in certain quantities, can have a beneficial effect on your health whether you have diabetes or not. For those living with diabetes, tea actually has the potential to do a lot of good. Depending on what type you drink, tea can chemically assist your body with processing and managing sugar and insulin levels, and can also help people manage some of the symptoms of diabetes, including circulation problems, energy levels, blood pressure and more. A Little Background on Tea Tea is a hot or cold beverage consumed by billions of people across the globe daily, with 3 billion tons of tea produced every year for human consumption. There are many varieties of tea; green, white, black, oolong, rooibos, herbal… the list can be long and a bit intimidating, especially when you take into account that many “teas” don’t actually contain the leaves of the tea plant, or camellia sinensis, which is an evergreen shrub native to Asia. Rooibos is made from a bush native to Southern Africa. Herbal teas can contain flowers, leaves, or other parts of a number of different plant varieties, and all of these plants can and do have a different effect on your body. Given that so many people drink tea of one sort or another on such a regular basis, science has been studying the effect that tea and it’s Continue reading >>
6 Benefits Of Drinking Tea For People With Diabetes
We’ve known for years that tea is good for you. In fact, it’s often known as a “superdrink”. But did you know that tea offers specific benefits for people with diabetes (diabeteas)? Unfortunately for those of us who like a milky brew, the health benefits only come from black or green tea. No sugar, no milk, no herbal tea. We’ve looked at six benefits of drinking tea for people with diabetes. 1. Tea improves insulin sensitivity… Type 2 diabetes is caused by insulin resistance, which occurs when we stop being sensitive to insulin. Not being sensitive to insulin means the pancreas has to produce more and more, which can destroy insulin-producing cells over time. Several studies have indicated that tea improves insulin sensitivity (sensitivitea?) – as long as you don’t add milk. 2. …Lowers blood pressure… High blood pressure affects eight out of 10 people with type 2 diabetes, and three out of 10 people with type 1 diabetes. Black or green tea helps you to keep healthy blood pressure levels. 3. …Reduces the risk of heart disease… Heart disease is one of the most common diabetic complications. It is the cause of death for 80 per cent of people with diabetes. Tea has a number of heart health benefits. 4. …Lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes… For those of us at risk of type 2 diabetes, three to five cups of black tea per day helps stop type 2 diabetes from developing. 5. …Lowers the risk of cancer… Diabetes is linked to a higher risk of certain kinds of cancer. These include pancreatic cancer, liver cancer and endometrial cancer. Research suggests that tea could reduce these risks. 6. …And lowers stress levels. Tea contains theanine, an amino acid that controls blood pressure levels and lowers stress. Stress hormones like cortisol cause blood g Continue reading >>
Facts About Green Tea And Diabetes
Diabetes is a lifelong condition in which your blood glucose levels are constantly very high. The body finds it difficult to metabolize glucose due to a lack or an absence of insulin. Diabetes is the most common metabolic disorder, affecting one out of every ten Americans. According to the American Diabetes Association, the number of Americans with diabetes reached 29.1 million in 2012, and 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes each year. Prolonged diabetes can have an adverse effect on your eyes, kidneys and nerves. Other complications of diabetes can include high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and gangrene. Green tea and diabetes Medication is usually the first line of treatment for diabetes. However, green tea may offer a natural remedy for prevention and management of this widespread public health issue. A study in Japan showed the potential benefits of green tea in decreasing diabetes risk. It showed a 33% reduction in the risk of type 2 diabetes in subjects who drank 6 or more cups of green tea per day, as compared to those who consumed less than 1 cup per week. EGCG Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the most effective type of catechin found in green tea. EGCG is known to play a key role in exhibiting the beneficial effects of green tea. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition successfully proved the anti-diabetic effects of green tea EGCG consumption in animals with type 2 diabetes. And a study in the British Journal of Nutrition found EGCG to reduce the risk or delay the onset of type 1 diabetes in animals. Other studies suggest that EGCG may mimic insulin and could potentially help in reducing blood sugar levels in the body. Obestity and green tea Obesity is the greatest risk factor for diabetes, so weight management is very important Continue reading >>
Can Green Tea Or Garlic Prevent Diabetes, Prediabetes?
Can Green Tea or Garlic Prevent Diabetes, Prediabetes? Could drinking green tea and adding garlic reduce your risk of prediabetes and diabetes? Two recent studiesone on green tea and the other on aged garlicfound that extracts from these foods may be beneficial to individuals who have diabetes or who are at risk for developing the disorder.1,2 But dont run out and buy green tea extract or garlic extract just yet! If they offer any health benefits, the best result occurs when they are taken along with other strategies, experts say. Everybody wants that one-pill fix, says Sherri Findley, MS, RD, a dietitian at University of Florida Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida, Of course, its tempting to take a product and hope it will prevent these diseases. You may be interested in these related articles: Findings of AntiDiabetes, Obesity Properties In the recent clinical trial on aged garlic extract that focused on adults with obesity,1 researchers focused on whether daily supplements of aged garlic extract might reduce inflammation and improve immune function. The results are promising given some evidence that taking aged garlic extract (3.6 grams) might improve blood cholesterol levels and have a favorable effect on the immune system.1 In a second study, also published in the journalClinical Nutrition ESPEN, 120 women who were overweight (body mass index >24) were assigned to consume green tea extract (1 gram), metformin, or green tea with metformin.2 The evidence suggested that green tea extract outperformed metformin in terms of improving blood sugar control in women who did not have diabetes but were overweight and therefore considered at risk for developing the condition. Such Small Studies Only Offer a Bit of Hope, for Now Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, associate pro Continue reading >>
Is It Ok For Diabetics To Drink Green Tea?
Green tea may provide a number of health benefits, such as lowering your risk for cancer, high cholesterol and Parkinson's disease, according to MedlinePlus. Although research is still in the preliminary stages, green tea may also help reduce your risk for developing diabetes and the complications sometimes associated with this condition. It may also make it easier to control your blood sugar levels. Diabetics can safely drink green tea, but they should carefully monitor their blood sugar levels because of the potential blood sugar-lowering effect of green tea. Video of the Day A study using mice published in the "British Journal of Nutrition" in April 2011 found that an antioxidant found in green tea called epigallocatechin gallate, or ECGC, may help delay the onset of Type 1 diabetes. Other animal studies have shown that green tea may help regulate blood glucose levels and help slow the progression of this condition once you have it, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Further studies would be needed to verify that these benefits occur in people as well as animals. Green Tea and Type 2 Diabetes Drinking caffeinated green tea may help lower your risk for Type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in "Annals of Internal Medicine" in 2006. Study participants who drank at least 6 cups of green tea per day had a 33 percent lower risk for Type 2 diabetes than participants who drank 1 cup or less per week. Drinking at least 3 cups of coffee per day had a similar effect, but drinking black or oolong tea didn't decrease diabetes risk. Once a person has diabetes, however, it may be best to drink less green tea; a preliminary study using animals published in "BioFactors" in 2007 found that high doses of green tea may increase blood sugar in diabetics, co Continue reading >>
Can Green Tea Help Lower Blood Sugar? New Study
Lab research has linked green tea and its compounds to many potential health benefits, including preventing cancer and type 2 diabetes. High blood sugar, also known as hyperglycemia, is a risk factor for diabetes, and having diabetes also increases your chances of getting cancer. A new animal study now suggests that a compound found in green tea may reduce the spike in blood sugar that occurs after eating starchy foods. The study was published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. In the study, mice were placed on a corn starch diet to mimic what happens when humans eat starchy foods. The mice were then fed an antioxidant found in green tea called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). The researchers found that, in mice given EGCG, the blood sugar spike that typically occurs after eating was significantly reduced (about 50% lower) compared to mice that were not fed the antioxidant. If we were to drink the amount of EGCG given to these mice, it would be approximately the same as one and a half cups of green tea, according to the authors. Interestingly, the EGCG didn’t have much of an effect on the rise in blood sugar after mice were fed glucose or maltose, sugars broken down from starch. The authors say that an explanation for this probably stems from how the body converts and breaks down starch into sugars for energy. It seems that EGCG may be specifically interfering with that breakdown process, preventing starch from being turned into the sugar that eventually enters our bloodstream to cause blood sugar spikes. The study suggests that this green tea effect is limited to starchy foods consumed simultaneously with green tea. Meaning that, drinking tea hours after eating a sleeve of crackers probably won’t help reduce the rise in blood sugar that is bound Continue reading >>
Green Tea For Diabetes
Did you know that green tea can actually benefit people with both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, as well as assist people who are actively workingto prevent the onset of Type 2 Diabetes? This is due to the unique antioxidants contained in the green tea leaves, and the effect that these antioxidants have on our bodies. Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood are too high. Blood glucose levels are normally regulated by the hormone insulin, which is made by the pancreas. In people with diabetes, the pancreas doesnt produce enough insulin or there is a problem with how the bodys cells respond to it. ( * ) THERE ARE TWO MAIN TYPES OF DIABETES: TYPE 1 AND TYPE 2 Type 1 Diabetes is wherethe pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach, stops making insulin, and this type of diabetes is not preventable. (Diabetes Australia ) Unless treated with daily injections of insulin, people with type 1 diabetes accumulate dangerous chemical substances in their blood from the burning of fat. This can cause a condition known as ketoacidosis . This condition is potentially life threatening if not treated. Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 85-90% of all people with diabetes. Type 2 diabetes results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Although there is a strong genetic predisposition, the risk is greatly increased when associated with lifestyle factors such as high blood pressure, overweight or obesity, insufficient physical activity, poor diet and the classic apple shape body where extra weight is carried around the waist. (Diabetes Australia) Diabetes is an epidemic affecting over1 million Australians. Every day, 280 people are being diagnosed with this disease. ( ** ) Epidemiological studies suggest th Continue reading >>
Green Tea And Diabetes Management
Nearly 10 percent of people in the United States have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Foundation. When you have diabetes, life becomes all about regulating your blood sugar to stay healthy. And while many must turn to medication and insulin injections, there is evidence to suggest that drinking green tea could make diabetes management easier. Several studies have pointed to green tea as a potentially effective method of controlling diabetes, and even improving insulin sensitivity. Just how it works isn’t completely clear, but it’s believed catechins within the tea — also responsible for its anticancer and heart health benefits — may be responsible. How Diabetes Works When you eat foods with carbohydrates, they are digested into sugar. In response, the pancreas releases insulin to help cells absorb glucose to be used as fuel. However, when you have diabetes, the process is hindered. People with type 2 diabetes have cells that are desensitized to insulin, which is known as insulin resistance. This, and the fact that the pancreas often stops releasing enough insulin, makes their blood sugar levels difficult to control. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease; the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin are attacked and killed by the body’s immune system, and simply do not produce insulin at all. 8 Essential Benefits of Green Tea » Most studies on the effects of green tea in people with diabetes have focused on type 2 diabetes, as it is more common, accounting for 90 to 95 percent of the diabetes seen in the United States. Green Tea and Diabetes Prevention There are indications that green tea can reduce the risk of developing diabetes. According to one study in Japan, people who drank six or more cups of green tea daily were 33 percent less likel Continue reading >>
