Tea and Diabetes

Tea consumption could be beneficial for Diabetes

In healthy people’s blood, glucose levels are maintained at a constant concentration. Insulin, a hormone secreted by cells in the pancreas, regulates blood glucose levels.

After a meal, glucose levels in the blood increase as glucose in digested food enters the bloodstream. So, this leads to increased secretion of insulin into the blood. Insulin stimulates liver and muscle cells to take up and metabolize more glucose. The level of glucose in the blood is then regulated.

In Type 1 diabetes (insulin-dependent), the pancreas does not produce the required amount of insulin to regulate blood glucose.

In Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent), the liver and muscle cells cannot utilize the insulin produced to regulate blood glucose.

Some plant extracts contain substances that could mimic the action of insulin and help in managing Type 2, or non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Therefore, the enzyme, alpha-amylase, catalyzes the conversion of starch in food to glucose in the digestive process. Polyphenols in tea inhibit alpha-amylase activity and could contribute to reducing blood glucose levels.

These studies indicate that tea consumption could be beneficial to diabetics. Although a large number of different types of studies has demonstrated the beneficial effects of tea on heart disease, cancer, and oral health, the result of studies on tea and diabetes have emerged only recently.