Read the Tea Leaves: Tea May Prevent and Help Diabetes

For as long as I could remember, my father always had a cup of tea in his hand. Unlike my mother and me, who were avid coffee drinkers, my father was a tea drinker. He liked coffee, but it kept him up at night, so he drank tea. My father drank tea upon waking up, with his midafternoon snack, and then again before retiring to bed. Out of all his siblings, he was the only one who never developed type 2 diabetes. With new research on tea reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, I now wonder if it was because of his frequent tea drinking. 

Does Tea Prevent Type 2 Diabetes?

Numerous studies show that tea may prevent type 2 diabetes.

Drinking 1-3 cups of tea decreased the risk of type 2 diabetes but drinking 4 or more cups lowered the risk by 17%.

Dr. Kashif M. Munir, associate professor at the University of Maryland Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology, said “tea is known to contain food polyphenols, such as EGCG, which have been shown to reduce insulin resistance and improve endothelial function which is important for regulating the immune response, blood clotting, and the dilation or constriction of blood vessels. These effects may have beneficial effects on glucose homeostasis and improve diabetes risk” (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/drinking-4-cups-of-tea-daily-may-reduce-type-2-diabetes-risk#A-few-things-to-consider-about-tea).

Types of Tea

What’s the difference between black, green, and oolong tea? They all come from the plant Camellia Sinensis and processing makes them different. To explain, oxidation (exposure to air) is minimal with green tea, whereas black tea is the most oxidized. Oolong tea falls in the middle, being semi-oxidized.

So, which tea is the best for preventing diabetes? Turns out that all of them are. Green, oolong, and black tea were consumed in the above study.

Furthermore, two more studies show that tea may prevent type 2 diabetes. According to a Japanese study, people who drank 6 or more cups of green tea a day were 33 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who drank less (https://www.everydayhealth.com/type-2-diabetes/diet/drinking-tea-diabetes-prevention/).

By comparison, black tea, which my father drank, may also help prevent diabetes. A study included 50 countries from around the world found that countries with the highest levels of black tea consumption had the lowest incidence of type 2 diabetes (https://www.endocrineweb.com/news/diabetes/56850-black-tea-improves-glucose-levels-may-help-prevent-diabetes).

The same study also found that drinking black tea with a sugary drink reduced blood sugar spikes.   

Does Tea Help Type 2 Diabetics?

While studies show tea can prevent type 2 diabetes, does it help diabetics? Well, there’s more good news for tea drinkers. Seventeen studies with over a thousand people found green tea reduced fasting blood sugar levels and A1C (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23803878/).

In addition, studies found that drinking green, black, and oolong tea could reduce the risk of diabetes mellitus and diabetic complications (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6617012/).

To sum up, it doesn’t matter which type of tea you drink, green, black, or oolong, they all may prevent and manage diabetes.

Conclusion

Studies show drinking tea may prevent type 2 diabetes and help reduce blood sugar levels. I now believe that my father’s frequent tea drinking may have prevented him from developing diabetes, even though his siblings all became type 2 diabetics. Tea is such a healthy drink it wouldn’t hurt us to consume it for its benefits. Even coffee aficionados like me. And tea (hot or iced) is an excellent replacement for diet soda. In conclusion, you can consider using tea as a natural diabetes remedy.

Tea Idioms

• A storm in a teacup
• Go for your tea
• Not one’s cup of tea
• Spill the tea
• A storm in a teakettle
• Not for all the tea in China
• Wouldn’t do something for all the tea in China
• No tea, no shade
• Read the tea leaves

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Disclaimer

Please remember this is not medical advice or intended to replace the advice of your doctor. This is my experience with the natural supplements that have helped me manage my diabetes.  They are not intended to cure any disease. Please do not self-diagnose. Always check with your health care provider before trying new treatments.

Also, natural does not mean safe. Many natural remedies have side effects and can interact with medication and supplements. It should be noted that the FDA does not regulate dietary supplements but treats them like foods and not medication. Unlike drug manufacturers, supplement makers do not have to show their products are safe or effective.

I ask you to please keep an open mind; be a diabetic detective and do your own research; work with your healthcare team; see what works best for you, and monitor your blood sugars.