Forget the cappuccinos, the double lattes, and espressos. Sure they might wake you up, but if you’re looking to stimulate your health, drop the coffee and choose tea instead. Not only does tea have caffeine, it also contains properties that can help diabetics combat their disease.
A study published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition maintains that because tea contains polyphenols, micronutrients that function as antioxidants and possess the capacity to reduce glucose and help control spiking blood sugar levels.
“After water, tea is the second most commonly consumed beverage in the world and this new research adds significance to already published studies which suggest that it is good for health and contains numerous well-being benefits,” Dr. Tim Bond of the Tea Advisory Panel noted. ” In effect, these polyphenols seemed to lower the Glycaemic Index–the relative ability of a carbohydrate food to increase the level of glucose in the blood–of the sugary drink.”
Polyphenols, experts contend, are powerful compounds that block the absorption of sugar. Controlling blood sugar levels are crucial diabetics. Better still the polyphenols in tea are also considered to be the instrumental in reducing the risk of life-changing complications the disease imposes on diabetics.
In the study, researchers instructed subjects to drink a sugary beverage with either low doses of black tea polyphenols or high doses of the polyphenols, or a placebo drink that contained no polyphenols. The people who consumed the black tea polyphenols experienced less of a blood sugar spike compared to those who drank the fake beverage.
As expected, the biggest spikes in blood sugar were noted in participants who consumed the placebo. However, both doses of tea polyphenols demonstrated the same significant suppression of blood sugar spikes.
So, if you want to reduce your diabetes risks, it add tea to your morning routine. You’ll be glad that you did.
