Green tea is best for diabetic patients and health experts recommend that people suffering from diabetes need to consume at least four cups a day. But Consuming green tea alone will not help in reducing diabetes.
You heard it right! Green tea can be an elixir for the people who are suffering from diabetes, According to the National Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy Survey report, the prevalence of diabetes in India in 2019 continues to be 11.8%, out of which known diabetes cases was 8.0% and new diabetes cases was 3.8%. The WHO predicted the global occurrence of diabetes among adults above 18 years of age as 8.5% in 2014.
To manage the growing graph of diabetes, our diet and lifestyle play a pivotal role. Green tea is one such dietary supplement that can stimulate the production of insulin if you’re suffering from type 1 diabetes. And, compounds like polyphenols and EGCG Catechins, which do wonders for type 2 diabetic patients.
Before we delve into the benefits of green tea for diabetic people, we first need to know what is diabetes and what are the types of diabetes to understand the role green tea plays in better way.
Diabetes and Its Types
Diabetes occurs because of the high levels of blood sugar (glucose) in the body. The blood sugars in your body are commonly regulated by the insulin hormone, which is produced by the pancreas. In a diabetic person, pancreas couldn’t produce the insulin hormone in a proper amount or there is a problem with how the body cells’ respond to it.
Diabetes are of 2 types:
Diabetes type 1. This type of diabetes could occur when the pancreas stops producing insulin hormone, and this type of diabetes is unpreventable. The only way to treat this type of diabetes is by daily injection of insulin. Type 1 diabetes is generally recognized in children and young adults, even though it can emerge at any time.
Diabetes type 2. This type of diabetes is the universal form of diabetes. This type of diabetes could occur because of insufficient physical activity, poor diet, stress, family history and obesity. If not managed or controlled in its initial stage, this can be fatal.
Reasons why green tea is beneficial
1.Increases insulin production in body
If the individual is suffering from type 1 diabetes, it gets difficult for the body to produce insulin. Some studies evidence that green tea could stimulate your body to produce the insulin, which then will control your sugar levels and transform the nutrients from the food that you just ate into energy. In addition to that, green tea will also help your body to maximize the functions of the pancreas, which is very important to produce an insulin. Some studies also suggest that green tea could protect the pancreatic beta cells from any damages.
2. Treats Hyperglycemia
High blood sugar (Hyperglycemia) alongside glucose intolerance is the main reason why diabetes can occur to people. Hyperglycemia, if we leave it untreated, will release the oxidative stress which will lead to some problems, such as diabetic retinopathy. This diabetic retinopathy will lead to blindness and deafness if you’re not treating it as soon as possible.
3. EGCG catechins reduces excess fat from the body
Green tea contains certain types of flavonoid called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG catechins), which helps in burning body fat and increases the fat oxidation. Excess fat in the body often leads to diabetes. EGCG catechins also improve the tolerance against glucose, thereby protecting the individual from developing diabetes type 1. In addition to that, EGCG catechins are also beneficial to protect you from diabetes type 2. Evidence has shown that regularly drinking green tea for 12 weeks (3 months) reduces waist circumference and also has higher levels of adiponectin hormone, which is responsible for lowering the fat accumulation.
4. Stimulates metabolism
Uncontrollable rise of blood sugar levels leads to diabetes. By consuming green tea, the production of adrenaline hormone that can cause the rise in blood sugar levels will be reduced. Green tea is widely known for its ability to stimulate the metabolism, as well as improve your immune system which means that there is more energy and blood for use by the brain. This relaxing condition will prevent you from any symptoms associated with stress, depression, or anxiety. Lowered levels of stress will be very important for the people who suffer from diabetes.
5. Prevents from obesity
For type 2 diabetes patients, obesity can be fatal. Therefore, drinking a hot beverage like green tea cuts down the extra fat from the body as it helps to burn the calories. Green tea can lower your fatty acids and triglyceride levels which will control obesity and will prevent any complications that may arrive around people with obesity problems.
6. Polyphenols in green tea has anti-diabetic properties
Polyphenols in a green tea is an antioxidant which has anti-diabetic properties. These anti-diabetic properties will inhibit the oxidative stress and increase the glucose tolerance. Thus, the polyphenols in green tea can help you to control diabetes.
Health experts recommend that people suffering from diabetes need to consume at least four cups of green tea a day. It should be consumed without adding sugar, milk or cream. The preferable time to take this beverage is morning. But Consuming this alone will not help in reducing diabetes. You also need to make healthy activities like regular exercising, eating the right food to keep yourself fit and strong and taking your medicines on time.
Mr Sundeip Bhatia
Business Head- India
Shilpa Medicare Ltd, Hyderabad
