Drinking tea can help significantly lower blood sugar levels. But is it really proven that tea helps diabetics? Or is that conclusion still a bit premature? I researched a set of different teas and shared my thoughts with you.
In this Diabetic & Me product review you will learn about:
- What is tea and where does it originate from?
- Can tea lower blood sugar levels?
- How do I make tea?
- What is the best tea to lower your blood glucose levels?
The #1 Best Tea for Diabetics
What Is Tea and Where Does It Originate From?
Tea is one of the most consumed drinks in the world. Tea is a hot drink made from an infusion of the leaves and buds of the tea plant, Camellia Sinensis. The difference between black tea and green tea is, among other things, the moment of picking and the treatment of the leaves after picking. There is no green tea or black tea plant. The processing of the leaves after picking determines the type of tea.
The plant originally comes from China. I was discovered by Emperor Shen Nung. He boiled his drinking water and added some leaves. This turned out to taste good. In Europe, we were introduced to the beverage in 1610. The Dutch East India Company brought the first shipment ashore.
Can Tea Lower Blood Sugar?
Yes, it can. It's not a substitute for insulin but when you drink certain teas right after your meals it can help lower your blood sugar levels. Not only can tea help in managing and lowering your blood sugar it may also help in preventing complications linked with diabetes.
The research concluded that “consuming tea daily with meals is a good way to prevent and self-treat diabetes, hyperglycemia and any negative effects on our health.
On the other hand, people with diabetes do well to follow the instructions of their treating physician thoroughly regarding diet, exercise, and treatment. In any case, an extra walk of 30 minutes a day has an already proven positive effect on diabetes, and we cannot say that any tea has the same effect, for the time being.
Another beneficial factor is that teas are great for systolic blood pressure and insulin sensitivity.
What Is the Best Tea for Diabetics?
Below you can find different teas that can help people with diabetes lower their blood sugar levels.
1. FGO Organic Chamomile Tea
Chamomile is a grassy annual plant known for its antispasmodic and digestive properties.
In addition to regulating, lowering blood sugar levels, and managing your diabetes, the benefits of chamomile tea is also increasing glycogen storage in the liver. It also protects the pancreas against oxidative stress caused by an excess of glucose.
It also helps against insomnia, so it's the perfect drink just before bed. It can also relieve you from rheumatic pains and any hemorrhoid issues. It also improves insulin sensitivity and it's great for people with type 2 diabetes.
How to drink it?
- It's recommended to drink three cups of chamomile tea a day after your meals.
- For tea bags, you use water that just barely boils and let the tea steep for 2 minutes.
Benefits
2. Instant Korean Ginseng Tea
Ginseng can be found in the wild in the mountains from Nepal to Manchuria and from Western Siberia to Korea. But because it is in high demand, it is also grown in other countries.
The benefits of Ginseng tea are its blood sugar lowering (hypoglycemic) ability is due to the ginsenosides it contains that aid in this process. People with diabetes can benefit from this ability and the health benefits from Ginseng can control diabetes.
How do you drink it?
- For tea bags, you use water that just barely boils and let the tea steep for 2 minutes.
- Drink a cup of ginseng tea daily for three months.
- After this, you stop for a month.
- After a medical evaluation, you can start the treatment again. You should never drink this for longer than 9 weeks in a row
Benefits
3. Shifa Sugar Control Tea (Turmeric and Fenugreek)
Thanks to its ingredients such as coumarin, nicotinic acid, and trigonelline, it is used as a substitute for oral blood sugar-lowering medication. This is only possible in cases of diabetes where you do not depend on the injection of insulin.
There are several studies showing that the benefits of fenugreek are its increasing peripheral functions of insulin. In addition, it reduces the absorption of carbohydrates. It's great for type 1 and types 2 diabetes.
How do you drink it?
- For tea bags, you use water that just barely boils and let the tea steep for 2 minutes.
- Drink a cup of fenugreek/turmeric tea every day for a month. Then stop for a week and repeat the treatment.
Benefits
4. Vahdam Himalayan Green Tea
Green tea extract appears to be an effective aid in controlling body weight and blood sugar. The antioxidant EGCG in green tea is known to inhibit the absorption of glucose and fats in the intestines.
It contains antioxidants thanks to the catechins it contains, as well as beta-carotene and vitamins C and E. The benefits of green tea are that it is effective in lowering blood sugar levels due to the polysaccharides contained in the leaves. These work in the same way as insulin. It may help reduce the chances of type 2 diabetes.
How do you drink it?
- You boil your water to 168-185 °F (76-85 °C) and let your tea steep for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Drink three to five cups of green tea for two months. Do not drink this tea on an empty stomach.
Benefits
5. Numi Organic Tea Ti Kuan Yin (Black Oolong Tea)
The benefits of black oolong tea are that when you drink three cups of black tea a day reduces the risk of type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. The natural anti-oxidants from black tea may counteract an increase in blood sugar levels.
The key role in this is the content of polysaccharides. This is a carbohydrate that can slow down the absorption of glucose (sugar) in the blood. It has great health benefits.
How do you drink it?
- You boil your water to 212 °F (100 °C) and let it steep for 4 to 7 minutes.
- Drink 3 cups per day.
Benefits
How Do I Make Tea?
Making a cup of tea is easy, but brewing a cup of tea in the right way is another story. Sometimes making tea is seen as a ritual, but making tea can also be simple.
- Bring water to a boil. If possible use filtered water.
- Do not use water that has been boiled before for tea.
- Preheat your teacup.
- Depending on which tea you brew, the water should have a different temperature;
- for white and green tea: 168-185 °F (76-85 °C)
- for oolong tea: 185-208 °F (85-98 °C)
- for black tea: 212 °F (100 °C)
- for pu-erh tea: 212 °F (100 °C)
- all above temperatures apply to loose tea. For tea bags, you use water that just barely boils.
- Drain the water from your preheated teacup and put loose tea in a tea strainer.
- Pour the tea with the water at the correct temperature. If you immediately make a whole pot of tea, count 1 cup of water per teaspoon of tea (or per bag).
- Let the tea steep. You can use these target times:
- oolong tea: 4 to 7 minutes
- black tea: 3 to 5 minutes
- green tea: 2 to 3 minutes
- other types: 2 minutes or longer if needed
- Stir the tea before drinking.
Tea is sensitive to light, heat, and odor transfer. Therefore always keep it in a dry, cool, and dark place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Is the Best Green Tea for Diabetes?
There is no specific diabetes green tea. But people with diabetes can surely enjoy many health benefits when drinking green tea. In this article, we talked about Vahdam Himalayan Green Tea. Green tea can help reduce high blood pressure and decrease oxidative stress.
Other benefits ofgreen tea;
- Improves brain function
- Good for fat burning
- Antioxidants are beneficial against diseases
- Good for high blood pressure
- It may help prevent type 2 diabetes
What Can a Diabetic Have for Afternoon Tea?
You can drink any type you want. The benefits of tea are beneficial for blood glucose levels. If you drink it in the afternoon after your lunch it's great for diabetes. If you prefer herbal teas, that's fine too. Herbal teas come in many flavors.
You can also enjoy drinking cinnamon tea, drinking hibiscus tea, drinking lemon balm tea, chamomile tea, green tea, and many more that might be beneficial for people with diabetes and work in helping control blood sugar.
Conclusion
I hope I was able to give you enough information about teas and how they can help you lower and control your blood sugar levels. There is some evidence that drinking tea lowers the risk of diabetes and lowers your blood sugar after meals.
Why this is and whether there is a difference between the types of tea (black, green, or other) remains to be investigated. For the time being, one should certainly not see any evidence that tea can prevent or improve this blood sugar regulation. Always consult your doctor before making changes to your diet.
Last update on 2023-11-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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