Green Tea Good for Diabetes ?? Does It Reduce Blood Sugar?

Green Tea: Nutritional Profile

Let Us First Have a Look at the Nutritional Values. Following are the nutritional values for green tea for a serving size of 100 gm. 

 Other components are catechins (12%–15%), caffeine (0.01%–0.02%), saponins, and suc

Advantages of Green Tea For Diabetes

⦁ Green tea improves metabolism and aids in weight loss, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes. Studies concluded that people consuming green tea were 33% less vulnerable to develop diabetes.

⦁ It reduces hunger by increasing satiety, so you end up eating less.

⦁ The polyphenols control oxidative stress, reduce blood pressure, reduce clotting and reduce cholesterol too, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease associated with diabetes.

⦁ The catechins (anti-oxidants) increase insulin sensitivity, thereby decreasing insulin resistance by reducing the absorption of carbohydrates.

⦁ It may also control cellular damage, lower inflammation, improve the utilization of glucose by skeletal muscle cells; thus, help reduce blood glucose levels.

How to Consume Green Tea For Diabetes?

The best way to consume green tea is by brewing it in hot water and allowing it to steep for 2–3 minutes. There are other alternatives of cold brewing or adding to a smoothie or yogurts and ice creams.
Moderate amounts of tea, i.e., 2–3 cups per day are ideal to get the maximum benefits. Prefer unsweetened tea unless you depend on herbal sweeteners like stevia.

Best Time To Consume Green Tea

The best time to consume green tea would be on an empty stomach unless suffering from an upset stomach or heartburn. Having before or with meals may prove advantageous as it improves satiety and reduces hunger, thereby lowering food intake but interfering with the uptake of antioxidants and also inhibiting iron absorption.

Risk Factors of Green Tea Consumption

Green tea may cause stomach upset and irritation especially if consumed on an empty stomach. In excessive amounts, the caffeine may cause headaches, irritability, sleep issues, nausea, loose stools, palpitations, tremors, heartburn, confusion, and even fainting. It should be consumed in moderate amounts, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Other Health Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea is known to have the following properties: 

• Anti-inflammatory

• Antibacterial
• Antioxidative
• Antiarthritic
• Antiviral
• Nerve-protective
• Antiangiogenic
• Hypo-cholesterolaemic

Research also indicates its efficacy in the prevention of obesity, cardiovascular diseases, management of cancers, autoimmunity, metabolic disorders, stress, sleep disorders, etc.