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Is green tea good for diabetics?

Posted by CTH Blog 03/06/2023 02:39:35 Healthy Tea 0 Comments

Diabetes is one of the major health concerns of the modern age. Green tea, on the other hand, is one of the main healthy drinks of the modern age. Green tea has been well-researched and many of the benefits are now being backed up by science. Is preventing and potentially helping with diabetes one of them? Is green tea good for diabetics?

Let’s see what the research says.

What is diabetes?

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 10.5% of the U.S. population has one of three types of diabetes – Type I, Type II and gestational, and 34.5% have prediabetes [1].

Prediabetes is a health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but still not as high as in diabetes. However, prediabetes doesn’t necessarily mean you will develop diabetes, and there are steps you can take to minimize the risk, including healthy diet, weight loss and becoming more active [2].

Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the body cannot produce or becomes resistant to insulin. Diabetes may cause significant health issues [3] and it requires a lifelong management. Many factors influence a development of diabetes, but there are things we can do to try preventing one of the most occurring types – Type II diabetes.

Green tea and diabetes

Given these high numbers, it comes as no surprise that the benefits of green tea on prediabetes and diabetes have been a subject of many studies as well.

So why is green tea so important that scientists research its benefits?

is green tea good for diabetics

Foremost, green tea has a unique chemical composition, different from black tea. Tea leaves have been processed in a way that prevents catechins from oxidizing into theaflavins. While both are beneficial, catechins are responsible for a myriad of health benefits. One of the most important catechins in green tea is EGCG, or epigallocatechin-3-gallate.

EGCG has been studied for weight management and lowering bad cholesterol, which may be beneficial for prediabetics and diabetics, controlling blood sugar levels, providing anti-inflammatory benefits, reducing oxidative stress, improving insulin resistance, and aiding gut health [4].

Green tea also contains caffeine and L-theanine, an amino acid that may provide a calming effect in addition to caffeine’s energy boosting properties. This is often explained as a calming, sustained energy that lasts throughout the day.

What do green tea and diabetes studies say?

Studies suggested that EGCG may have a significant impact on weight loss, reducing waist circumference and bad cholesterol [5] – which may all be beneficial for reducing the risk of developing diabetes.

Other studies that have been more focused on a direct link between green tea and diabetes have shown that a long-term consumption may protect against Type 2 diabetes. [6] A large Chinese study on almost half a million of green tea drinkers concluded that daily green tea drinking may not only lower the risk of developing a Type II diabetes, but also reduce some complications in tea drinkers that had diabetes [7]. Green tea may help with lowering fasting blood sugar levels and gut inflammation [8], which may be linked to this chronic disease [9].

Chinese green tea

What studies rarely say is how much tea should you be drinking daily to enjoy the benefits and avoid the side effects, and which green tea you should choose.

Is there any answer to that question or is the best we can do simply guess?

Which green tea is good for diabetes?

Each and every green tea will be different. Even if you tried green tea only a few of times so far, you may have noticed that they tasted differently.

Some green teas may contain more EGCG than the others, some will have much higher levels of caffeine, and some may be rich in other compounds, such as L-theanine.

Without testing each green tea sample, it would be impossible to say how much of these compounds your tea contains.

However, what is possible to say is that you can maximize the benefits is you:

Choose high quality green teas.
Prepare tea following brewing recommendations to extract the most nutrients.
Choose loose leaf tea over tea dust (tea bags).
Properly store tea leaves to prevent deterioration.
Opt for pure loose tea rather than flavored blends.
Choose spring and summer teas that have higher levels of catechins than autumn and winter green teas.
Opt for tea rather than green tea extracts that may come with more significant side-effects.

Some great green teas that are both delicious and high in nutrients are Japanese sencha, Japanese matcha, Chinese White Monkey Paw and Gunpowder tea.

pouring green tea

So, is green tea good for diabetics and prediabetics?

Green tea may be a great drink of choice for many people, diabetics and prediabetics. It may help:

Aid in weight loss and prevent health conditions linked to developing diabetes and prediabetes.
With conditions related to already developed diabetes.
Keep your energy levels stay high and help you be more active to reduce the risk of prediabetes.
May be a great replacement for sugary drinks.

However, what many studies do not say is which type of green tea you should drink to enjoy the potential benefits. The best type will be a high quality pure green tea that you enjoy drinking and are happy to include in your daily diet. Don’t overdo, though, as even tea may cause side-effects if consumed in excess. Keep your daily intake at a couple of cups per days (more or less, depending on the brewing method) and always consult your healthcare provider if you are unsure and need professional advice.

Learn more about green tea here.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and it’s not intended to replace a professional opinion, diagnosis or treatment plan. Since diabetes is a serious health condition, if you are not a regular green tea drinker and are diagnosed with prediabetes or diabetes, always consult your healthcare provider before including tea into your diet.