Green tea and diabetes control

Can green tea influence your blood sugar?
If yes, how?
Any side effect or precaution I should be aware of?

For many years, green tea has been listed as a beneficial herb that can help in lowering your high blood glucose levels. How does green tea help with diabetes?

Some facts on the benefits of green tea for diabetics

The first way green tea affects your blood sugar is by enhancing the insulin action in your body.

Actually, there is one study conducted in 2002 by BHNRC in which brewed tea was added to the fat cells of rats.

As a result, the insulin activity was raised more than 15 times. This is due to a green tea component called catechin EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) which enhances the insulin function in your body tissue.

The second way green tea & diabetes are related is by inhibiting the absorption of glucose in your intestines. This is good because it can prohibit the peak levels of blood sugar.

Moreover, green tea together with other antioxidants such as red wine and oolong tea inhibits alpha-glucosidase enzyme.

As a consequence, glucose is absorbed more slowly and cannot reach the peak in bloodstream.

On the other hand, it can help optimizing your high blood pressure at the same time reducing the risk for cardiovascular problems.

Below, I will give a simple recipe on how to prepare your green tea at home!

A Simple Green Tea Recipe

Step no.1:

You can buy green tea leaves at a herbal market or supermarket.

I have bought it in a drug store (herbal section).

They come in various packages: leaves, bags, etc.

I have chosen 100 grams of green tea leaves (the one I got was written in Italian = Te verde)

Step no.2:

Boil the water. I have boiled the water in our traditional coffeepot for a simple illustration.

You can use water heaters as well.

Follow the instructions given at the side back of the package you buy.

Step no.3:

I took a full teaspoon with green tea leaves from the packet I bought and put inside my cup.

If you want to prepare in a teapot, the number of teaspoons you take are equal to the numbers of cups you want to prepare.

So, if you will prepare green tea for 4 persons, put 4 teaspoons full of green tea leaves. For me, it was just one as I was only me:)))

Step no.4:

Pour the boiled hot water inside the cup or teapot directly to the green leaves.

Let them sit for 2 to 3 minutes

Step no.5:

Drain the green tea leaves mixed with boiled water.

Usually, the teapots do have the drainer themselves, so it is easy for you to have your tea.

Enjoy your green tea twice daily!

Other blood sugar impact of Green tea

I want you to understand that another way diabetes & green tea are related is by improving the glucose metabolism. This action was shown in one study carried out in 2004 from Japanese and Vietnamese researches.

So, they were advised to drink green tea or hot water and their blood glucose were measured after 30, 60 and 120 minutes. The result revealed those drinking green tea have blood glucose levels from 100 to 120 mg/dl.

Green tea can help in your program of losing weight and indirectly to your blood sugar lowering too.

As explained in the above paragraphs, due to its components, green tea can lower your blood sugar levels in various ways.

Remember: Green tea contains caffeine . If you decide to go for a green tea program, consult your physician to decide.

Explore more herbs.

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