Which teas are suitable for diabetes?
1. Green Tea
Loose Leaf Green tea is a non-fermented tea, preserving over 85% of natural substances, including catechins, which can prevent oxidative damage to blood vessels. Catechins also aid in reducing the absorption of sugar in the digestive tract, helping to slow down the rise in blood sugar levels.
2. Black Tea
Loose Leaf Black tea contains flavonoids, beneficial substances also found in apples, strawberries, dark chocolate, etc. Flavonoids stimulate insulin secretion, enhance glucose utilization by body tissues, lowering blood sugar levels, and provide assistance in preventing and treating diabetes. Additionally, flavonoids contribute to improved blood vessel dilation, offering benefits to diabetes patients with concurrent cardiovascular conditions.
3. Oolong Tea
Loose Leaf Oolong tea, a semi-fermented tea, contains tea polyphenols similar to green tea, providing anti-diabetic effects. Besides tea polyphenols, oolong tea is rich in active ingredients like tea polysaccharides and tea pigments. Together with tea polyphenols, these substances inhibit α-glucosidase activity, protecting organs such as the pancreas, liver, and kidneys, improving insulin resistance, slowing sugar absorption, and alleviating diabetes symptoms.
4. Pomegranate Tea
Pomegranate leaves and peel can be used to brew tea. Pomegranate tea is rich in chromium, improving the body's glucose tolerance and effectively lowering blood sugar and lipids. It also enhances insulin sensitivity. Pomegranate peel contains various alkaloids that soften blood vessels, preventing cardiovascular diseases.
5. Corn Silk Tea
Corn silk, often discarded, has medicinal value. Corn silk tea, derived from the "Chinese Medicinal Tea" recipe, has low sugar content and contains substances such as malic acid, polysaccharides, and phytosterols. It helps lower blood sugar, promotes diuresis, and indirectly controls blood sugar levels, providing excellent support for diabetes treatment. It is advisable to consume cornsilk tea in moderation.
6. Mulberry Leaf Tea
Mulberry leaves, a favorite food of silkworms, can also be used to make tea to alleviate diabetes. Mulberry leaf tea contains abundant alkaloids, polysaccharides, amino acids, and dietary fiber, promoting glycogen synthesis in the liver and lowering blood sugar levels. Additionally, mulberry leaf tea has anti-aging, beauty, and anti-tumor effects.
What should diabetics be aware of when drinking tea?
1. Avoid using excessively hot water for brewing tea.
High water temperatures can damage tea compounds like catechins and polysaccharides.
2. Avoid drinking overly concentrated tea.
Highly concentrated tea may elevate blood pressure and impact blood sugar, so it's advisable to consume moderately diluted tea.
3. Avoid taking medication with tea.
Drinking tea with medication may reduce drug absorption. It is recommended to separate tea consumption and medication intake with an appropriate time gap.
From this perspective, incorporating tea into your daily routine can offer some benefits for individuals with diabetes. To make tea drinking a regular habit, it's crucial to choose a tea variety you genuinely enjoy; otherwise, it might be tough to stick with this routine. iTeaworld provides a collection of carefully curated teas, including selections of Green Tea Sampler, Black Tea Sampler, and Oolong Tea Sampler. This allows you to easily and affordably explore a variety of classic loose-leaf Chinese teas through tea samplers, helping you discover the best loose-leaf tea that suits your preferences.
While tea has a limited impact on blood sugar regulation and cannot replace medication, it is crucial to control diet, reduce high-sugar, high-calorie, and high-fat foods, adhere to medical advice, take prescribed medications on time, and engage in regular physical activity (at least 30 minutes a day) for effective blood sugar control.
