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Is green tea good for diabetics: Green Tea and Diabetes: Prevention and Management

Green Tea and Diabetes: Prevention and Management

Green Tea and Diabetes: Prevention and Management

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Medically reviewed by Peggy Pletcher, M. S., R.D., L.D., CDE — By Anna Schaefer — Updated on August 20, 2018

Nearly 10 percent of people in the United States have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Foundation.

When you have diabetes, life becomes all about regulating your blood sugar to stay healthy. And while many must turn to medication and insulin injections, there is evidence to suggest that drinking green tea could make diabetes management easier.

Several studies have pointed to green tea as a potentially effective method of controlling diabetes, and even improving insulin sensitivity. Just how it works isn’t completely clear, but it’s believed catechins within the tea — also responsible for its anticancer and heart health benefits — may be responsible.

When you eat foods with carbohydrates, they are digested into sugar. In response, the pancreas releases insulin to help cells absorb glucose to be used as fuel. However, when you have diabetes, the process is hindered.

People with type 2 diabetes have cells that are desensitized to insulin, which is known as insulin resistance. This, and the fact that the pancreas often stops releasing enough insulin, makes their blood sugar levels difficult to control.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease; the cells of the pancreas that produce insulin are attacked and killed by the body’s immune system, and simply do not produce insulin at all.

8 Essential Benefits of Green Tea »

Most studies on the effects of green tea in people with diabetes have focused on type 2 diabetes, as it is more common, accounting for 90 to 95 percent of the diabetes seen in the United States.

There are indications that green tea can reduce the risk of developing diabetes. According to one study in Japan, people who drank six or more cups of green tea daily were 33 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people who drank just one cup per week.

Another study found that people who drank green tea consistently for a period of 10 years had smaller waist circumferences and lower body fat levels, showing that the tea may play a role in reducing obesity risk.

But tea’s benefits don’t stop at prevention. For people already diagnosed with diabetes, green tea may be able to help manage blood sugar levels.

According to a comprehensive review, green tea consumption is associated with decreased fasting glucose levels and A1C levels, as well as reduced fasting insulin levels, which are a measurement of diabetes health. While not all studies have shown these positive results, green tea has still been shown to be beneficial in other ways.

The Pacific College of Oriental Medicine suggests that the antioxidant activity of polyphenols and polysaccharides are to credit for these benefits. These same antioxidants are credited with anticancer, cholesterol lowering, and blood pressure management benefits.

If you have diabetes and want to reap the potential benefits of green tea, steer clear of additions that can cause blood glucose changes. It’s best to drink the mild-tasting tea plain, instead of diluting it with milk or sweetening it with sugar.

The 1-Hour Effects of AriZona Green Tea »

Teabags are just fine (loose leaf is best), but if you want to enjoy a fresher, green flavor, you can buy traditional matcha green tea online and in specialty shops. Matcha is a green tea powder, traditionally used in Chinese tea ceremonies. It is prepared with a small bowl and bamboo whisk, though a spoon or wire whisk can work in a pinch. Because the tea is more concentrated in a matcha powder, you may reap additional benefits over bagged green tea.

Last medically reviewed on February 29, 2016

How we reviewed this article:

Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

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  • Kim, H., & Kim, J. (2013, June). The effects of green tea on obesity and type 2 diabetes. Diabetes and Metabolism Journal, 37(3), 173-175
    ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3689013/
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  • Nagao, T., Komine, Y., Soga, S., Meguro, S., Hase, T., Tanaka, Y., & Tokimitsu, I. (2005, January). Ingestion of a tea rich in catechins leads to a reduction in body fat and malondialdehyde-modified LDL in men. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 81(1), 122-129
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  • Wu, C. H., Lu, F. H., Chang, C. S., Chang, T. C., Wang, R. H., & Chang, C. J. (2003, September). Relationship among habitual tea consumption, percent body fat, and body fat distribution. Obesity Research, 11(9), 1088-1095
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  • Yang, C., Prabhu, S., & Landau, J. (2001). Prevention of carcinogenesis by tea polyphenols. Drug Metabolism Reviews, 33(3-4), 237-53
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Medically reviewed by Peggy Pletcher, M.S., R.D., L.D., CDE — By Anna Schaefer — Updated on August 20, 2018

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Is Green Tea Good for Type 2 Diabetes?

By now, you’ve probably heard about the wonders that green tea can do for a body. Researchers have studied this nutritional powerhouse’s potential role in boosting heart health, fighting infection, and even improving brain function, a review published in Chinese Medicine suggests. But does the beverage also have a place in a type 2 diabetes diet? Turns out, it can.

The Importance of Choosing Good Drinks for Diabetes

When you have type 2 diabetes, your body’s cells can no longer efficiently absorb blood sugar (glucose), the body’s main energy source, due to a condition called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance leads to an elevated blood glucose level (called hyperglycemia), which increases the risk for diabetes complications, including heart disease, kidney failure, and nerve damage (neuropathy).

What you choose to eat and drink can affect your blood sugar level dramatically, the Mayo Clinic points out. The Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health notes that one of the main drivers behind the obesity and diabetes epidemic is added sugar — namely, the added sugar in popular sips like sports drinks, soda, and fruit juice. It’s this very aspect of your diet where green tea can be helpful in stabilizing blood sugar.

RELATED: The Best and Worst Drinks for Type 2 Diabetes

The Science-Backed Health Benefits of Green Tea for Diabetes

There’s a wealth of research on how green tea may help with weight loss and thus help people with type 2 diabetes get their blood sugar under control. It depends on the variety, but a plain cup of green tea from a steeped bag contains 0 calories, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition data. That means it’s a great alternative to sugary and caloric sodas and energy drinks.

“When you lose weight, you increase your insulin sensitivity and will have a lower blood sugar level,” says Sandra Arevalo, MPH, RDN, a certified diabetes educator based in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and spokesperson for the American Association of Diabetes Educators. A study published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences looked at different doses of green tea in 63 people with type 2 diabetes. Researchers found that drinking 4 cups per day was linked to weight loss and lower blood pressure.

Toby Smithson, RDN, CDE, author of Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition for Dummiesexplains that the catechins in green tea help reduce the effects of insulin resistance by decreasing the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates. (Catechins are a type of antioxidant.) A study published in September 2014 in the Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences suggests that drinking green tea regularly — participants drank a 150-milliliter infusion three times per day for four weeks — had a positive effect on insulin resistance in people with diabetes and increased their HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels. An infusion of 3 grams (g) of tea leaves in 5 ounces of water is stronger than a regular cup of green tea (2 g of tea leaves brewed in 8 ounces of water), but Smithson, who is also based in Hilton Head, South Carolina, says it’s possible to get the same benefits listed in the study by drinking several cups of regular green tea per day. But, she points out, green tea alone is unlikely to control blood sugar and cholesterol levels — you’ll need to eat a balanced diet that’s low in added sugars, simple carbohydrates, and saturated fat and monitor your numbers regularly.

RELATED: 10 Surprising Causes of Blood Sugar Swings You Probably Didn’t Know

Drinking green tea may also decrease the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, some scientific literature suggests. Research in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that people in Japan who drank 6 or more cups of green tea per day were 33 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared with people who drank less than 1 cup per week when adjusting for confounding factors like age and body mass index.

Green tea has a powerful antioxidant called polyphenol, which may give it anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and cholesterol-lowering benefits, according to a review published in November 2014 in the Journal of Food Processing and Technology. Polyphenols come from plants and help protect our cells from damage. Green tea has a few different types that make up around 40 percent of its dry weight.

In addition, green tea may have a calming effect on the mind and body. It contains the amino acid L-theanine, which Smithson says has a calming effect. According to a study published in October 2012 in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, L-theanine may help reduce anxiety and prevent stress-related increases in blood pressure. “Having a chronic condition like diabetes can add stress and anxiety, so drinking a cup of green tea can offer a benefit of calmness,” she adds.

How Much Green Tea Should You Drink If You Have Diabetes?

Research suggests that there aren’t negative effects to drinking green tea, as long as you’re not adding sugar, says Winonah Hoffman, RN, nursing manager at Austin Regional Clinic in Austin, Texas. When treating people with diabetes, Hoffman recommends never adding sugar to drinks; instead, she advises drinking unsweetened tea or tea with sugar alternatives, like stevia.

Stevia is a sugar substitute that comes from the leaves of the stevia plant. Hoffman likes it as an option for people with diabetes because it has less than 1 calorie and no carbs per packet. A study published in the journal Appetite suggests that of the low-calorie sweeteners commonly used by people with diabetes (including aspartame and sucrose), stevia was the only one shown to lower blood sugar and insulin levels after a meal.

RELATED: 5 Sugar Substitutes for Type 2 Diabetes

If you find green tea to be too bitter, forgo using honey or table sugar (brown or white) and instead opt for a sweetener such as stevia.

When drinking green tea, the other thing to keep in mind is caffeine, which can affect blood sugar and blood pressure. The latter is of particular concern for people with type 2 diabetes, who are 2 to 4 times as likely to die of heart disease compared with people without type 2 diabetes, according to the American Heart Association.

A good way to see how you respond to the amount of caffeine in green tea is to check your blood sugar before drinking the tea and then one to two hours afterward, says Smithson. If you’re still in your target range before and after, you haven’t hit your limit. Smithson also recommends using a home blood pressure cuff to monitor blood pressure.

The good news is that green tea has much less caffeine than coffee or black tea. According to the Mayo Clinic, there’s about 25 to 29 milligrams (mg) per 8 ounces of brewed green tea compared with 95 to 165 mg for the same amount of brewed coffee and 25 to 48 mg for brewed black tea.

But if your body is sensitive to caffeine, it could still be a problem. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to your individual reaction.

Other Teas to Try to Better Manage Type 2 Diabetes

The difference between green, oolong, and black tea is how they’re processed. Green tea is made from fresh leaves, which are steamed to prevent fermentation. The tea keeps its green color and antioxidant compounds. Oolong tea is slightly fermented, and black tea is fully fermented.

Some people prefer black or oolong teas because they’re milder in taste (green tea can be a bit more bitter), says Hoffman. Compared with green tea, black and oolong teas don’t have the same antioxidant levels and have slightly more caffeine, but that doesn’t mean they’re a bad choice.

If you are sensitive to caffeine, herbal teas can be a great substitute. They don’t contain caffeine and can be rich with flavor. On this note, Arevalo recommends cinnamon tea for people with type 2 diabetes — for both taste and possible health benefits (cinnamon is packed with antioxidants). There’s also some evidence that cinnamon might help control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes in larger amounts.

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The doctor named six types of tea that are good for diabetics to drink – Gazeta.Ru

The doctor named six types of tea that are useful for diabetics to drink – Gazeta.Ru | News

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Some types of tea, when used correctly, have a positive effect on the condition of patients with diabetes. Olga Kashlyak, a pediatrician and expert at the Dia Talks project lecture hall for diabetics, spoke about this in an interview with Gazeta.Ru.

The expert named six types of drink that people who have problems with high blood sugar should drink. The first drink on the list is green tea. Kashlyak noted that there are studies that say that green tea slightly, but lowers the current blood sugar level, and also reduces the likelihood of developing this disease.

“Please note that all studies show the average amount of tea required to observe beneficial effects is 3-4 tea cups,” the specialist emphasized.

Beneficial for diabetics and Hibiscus tea (hibiscus petals). The main effect of its use is a decrease in blood pressure. The doctor recalled that high blood pressure is often found in people with diabetes. 240 milliliters of tea twice a day for a month helps to significantly reduce systolic blood pressure.

“Hibiscus helps reduce insulin resistance. But note that this tea can interact with hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic prescribed for patients with high blood pressure, ”the specialist warned.

Lemon balm tea and chamomile tea should also be included in the diet for those who are worried about their health. The first one, due to the essential oils of lemon balm, stimulates the absorption of glucose and inhibits the synthesis of glucose, which leads to a decrease in blood sugar . The second one optimizes blood sugar control and also protects against oxidative stress, an imbalance that can lead to complications associated with diabetes.

Cinnamon tea is great for diabetic patients – the spice in the drink slows down the release of sugar into the bloodstream and enhances the absorption of glucose by cells, increasing sensitivity to insulin.

In conclusion, Kashlyak advised me to try turmeric tea. A 2020 study found that curcumin intake was associated with significant reductions in blood sugar and lipid levels. Moreover, this tea helps improve kidney function and reduce inflammation.

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GREEN TEA PARADOXES IN DIABETES MELLITUS – Diabetmed.

net

DIABETES A to Z

09/16/2019

Scientists tested the hypothesis of
that green tea prevents tissue dysfunction associated with diabetes,
associated with oxidation. Diabetic rats were given vitamins C and E daily or
fresh Japanese green tea extract. After 12 months, erythrocyte glutathione
and plasma hydroperoxides were improved with vitamins (P<0.05) and green tea (P <0.001). Production of retinal superoxide, acellular capillaries and pericyte ghosting increased with diabetes (P < 0.001) and improved with green tea and vitamin count (P-variable). Fluorescence crystallin lens at 370/440 nm improved with green tea (P<0.05) but not with vitamins. Influence parameters of nephropathy were not noted. Green tea also suppressed mitochondrial protein 28 methylglyoxalhydroimidazolone immunostaining kDa. Glyoxidation in tendons, aorta, and plasma was either impaired or not significantly improved by vitamins and green tea. Cross-links with glucose
increased in diabetes (P < 0.001) and green tea worsened overall cross-linking. IN conclusion, green tea and antioxidant vitamins improved some related with diabetes cellular dysfunctions, but worsened matrix glycation in individual tissues, suggesting that antioxidant treatment disrupts the balance from oxidative to carbonyl stress in the extracellular compartment.

This study was
motivated by three considerations. First, complications of diabetes have been associated with
oxidative stress, in particular with the formation of superoxide. Secondly,
The main biological mechanisms of action of green tea are explained by its
antioxidant properties. Third, commercial green tea extract,
which was fed to aging C57BL/6 mice delayed cross-linking
collagen and accumulation of fluorescent advanced glycation end product (AGE) by
mechanism, this was duplicated by a combination of vitamins C and E. Therefore, this project
was developed to study the ability of green tea to prevent certain
complications and biochemical disorders of diabetes in rats. Green tea is rich
catechins, i.e. polyphenolic compounds, antioxidant activity
which are several times higher than that of vitamins C and E. According to one
study, the total equivalent antioxidant capacity of catechins
increases from 0.99 mmol / l for vitamins C and E up to 2.40, 2.50, 3.01, 3.82,
4.75 and 4.93 mmol/l for catechin, epicatechin, gallic acid,
epigallocatechin, epigallocatechin gallate and epicatechin gallate, respectively.
In general, catechins account for up to a third of the dry weight of green tea. Available data
suggest that catechins may prevent the formation and
toxicity of lipid hydroperoxides, as well as remove superoxide and other
free radicals and peroxynitrite, which are involved in some aspects
complications of diabetes. Catechins have also been shown to change the catalytic
activity of oxidative enzymes and chelate iron and copper, preventing the
the most metal-catalyzed formation of free radicals. The last one was
associated with neuropathy in diabetic rats. We tested the hypothesis that
green tea has anti-diabetic and anti-glycosizing properties. To
better to interpret, we included a control group which consisted of
classic combination of vitamins C and E.

This study revealed some important data on the relationship between
complications of diabetes, glycemic and oxidative stress and chronic
consumption of green tea, that is, a drink widely promoted for its
beneficial properties that are attributed to its powerful antioxidants, catechins. IN
Overall, the data show that: green tea was successful in improving end
oxidation points such as plasma hydroperoxides, erythrocyte glutathione,
the formation of retinal superoxide and defects in the respiratory chain of mitochondria in the kidneys,
and that it essentially acted similarly to a combination of vitamins E and C. Effects on
nephropathy were inconclusive, possibly because only mild
nephropathy.

Despite the significant influence of antioxidant vitamins and green tea
on the development of biochemical and functional tissue damage, surprisingly,
that these effects were not more pronounced compared with such drugs,
as aminoguanidine, pyridoxamine or benfotiamine. This suggests that
simple suppression of oxidative stress without affecting the “higher”
or another level may not be enough. This concept is especially evident in
a study of pyridoxamine in diabetic rats in which pyridoxamine
almost completely suppressed albuminuria and retinopathy, while α-lipoic
acid, enalapril and vitamin E had little or no effect
no influence. One of the pronounced effects of pyridoxamine was its
ability to markedly reduce hyperlipidemia to levels not seen in
other studies, thereby confirming the putative role of lipids in
pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. In our study, however, only
a slight lipid-lowering effect was observed in both treatment groups.
Thus, it seems likely that the ability of pyridoxamine
trap both advanced glycation end products and lipooxidation can
contribute to its powerful activity against the complications of diabetes. Notable
inhibitory effects of diabetes on renal mitochondrial respiratory function and their
partial improvement due to a combination of antioxidant vitamins and green
tea point to the key role of oxidative stress in mediating
respiratory chain damage.