Tea Time: Your Secret Weapon Against Diabetes…
Monday, April 29, 2024.
If you're looking to sweeten the deal when it comes to your health, consider adding a cup of tea to your daily routine.
A recent Australian/Chinese study suggests that tea drinkers, particularly fans of the darker brews, could be lowering their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to half.
So, what's the tea on this sweet news? Dark teas, like Pu-erh, are not your average cuppa. They belong to the fermented teas family, which sets them apart from your regular black tea. But fear not, all teas seem to be effective in this health game.
In the study, habitual dark tea drinkers were found to have a whopping 53% lower risk of prediabetes and a 47% reduced chance of type 2 diabetes compared to non-tea drinkers.
Dr. Tongzhi Wu, one of the study's masterminds, noted, "Our findings hint at the protective effects of habitual tea drinking on blood sugar management via increased glucose excretion in urine, improved insulin resistance, and thus better control of blood sugar. These benefits were most pronounced among daily dark tea drinkers."
The secret sauce? It might lie in the fermentation process. Dark teas go through a microbial fermentation process, which not only keeps them flavorful for longer but also boosts their health benefits. This process increases the presence of bioactive compounds such as free amino acids, polysaccharides, alkaloids, and polyphenols, known for their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
The study looked at the tea habits of participants, including the type of tea consumed and how often. Results showed that drinking tea every day increased urinary glucose removal from the body and improved insulin sensitivity, lowering the risk of prediabetes by 15% and type 2 diabetes by 28%.
Dr. Wu added, "These findings suggest that the actions of bioactive compounds in dark tea may directly or indirectly modulate glucose excretion in the kidneys, an effect, to some extent, mimicking that of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, a new anti-diabetic drug class."
Professor Zilin Sun, another brain behind the study, chimed in, "Our findings suggest that drinking dark tea every day has the potential to lessen type 2 diabetes risk and progression through better blood sugar control. When you look at all the different biomarkers associated with habitual drinking of dark tea, it may be one simple step people can easily take to improve their diet and health."
So, go ahead, brew up a cup of dark tea, and raise a pinky to better health!
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
RESEARCH:
https://www.easd.org/annual-meeting/easd-2023.html.
