Hype or hope? Green Tea aiding diabetes

In every country in the world, there are more than half a billion people living with diabetes, affecting men, women, and children of all ages. The Lancet diabetes journal reported that the number of diabetics is expected to increase by over double to 1.3 billion people within 30 years, with an increase in every country.

Maybe you are one among them, a newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic or the one who already diagnosed and searching for the natural and practical remedies to get rid of those diabetes.

You guys must be tired of listening to the people who says that they have curing medicine, or a natural remedy, that never worked.

By the way you all must have come across this green tea has a curing medicine, that helps to lower blood sugar levels. Does it work or not? Is that just a hype or hope? Let’s find out today in this article.

First, lets understand diabetes and its variants

So what's diabetes? For you to understand in simple words, Diabetes is a condition where the body converts food into energy for proper function. Insulin, a key worker in this factory, helps regulate the amount of sugar in the bloodstream.

However, in individuals with diabetes, the factory is not functioning properly, leading to high blood sugar levels. This results in cells not receiving the necessary energy, leading to various problems over time.

Either the factory doesn't produce enough insulin, or the insulin that is produced doesn't work properly. That causes the sugar in the bloodstream to enter cells and hinder the body's ability to function properly. This leads to a breakdown of the insulin factory, causing the body to struggle with glucose levels.

There are different types of diabetes, but the two most common ones are type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Type 1 Diabetes

In type 1 diabetes, the factory doesn't produce insulin at all, so people with this type of diabetes need to take insulin injections to get the energy from their food.

Type 2 Diabetes

In type 2 diabetes, the factory doesn't use insulin effectively, or it doesn't produce enough of it. This type is more common and is often linked to lifestyle factors like being overweight or inactive. People with type 2 diabetes mostly need to make changes in their diet, exercise more, or take medications to help their body use insulin better.

Here we'll learn if green tea really helps diabetics, how it works, and what the components are. We'll also find out for which diabetes variant green tea works.

Decaf green tea’s amazing benefits ( includes lowering blood sugar level)
Top 3 green tea recipes for diabetics
Green tea’s 8 effective unknown benefits

Green tea and the components : prevents the diabetes

There may not be a need for medicines or natural remedies in the future since the FDA has approved bionic pancreases, isn't that bizarre? Having a machine inside your abdomen and not knowing when it is going to blow up.

But I also know how much you hated people seeing your medications in your bags and on your beds and identifying you as diabetics. Using these medicines is making your mind whirr with pain and noise.

You asked for no medicine and no machine life. I heard you. Let's see what a diabetic needs, and how green tea measures up.

How does green tea act like metformin?

Accepting to the fact that green tea is not designed as metformin but , yeah note that ‘BUT’ it has high potential benefits with it’s different mechanisms and bioactive compounds.

The key points to be addressed are:

1.Insulin sensitivity - Insulin resistance, a condition where cells become less insulin responsive, can lead to elevated blood sugar levels and type 2 diabetes. Oxidative stress, caused by an imbalance between ROS ( reactive oxidative stress ) production. Here green tea EGCG antioxidants, can contribute to insulin resistance.

And the other positive effects due to balancing oxidative stress with green tea is:

Preservation of Insulin-Producing Beta Cells
Enhanced Insulin Signaling
Reduced Inflammation

2.Insulin response - Chronic inflammation and insulin resistance are related. Insulin resistance is defined by decreased insulin response. Anti inflammatory is one of the green tea polyphenols property that potentially reduces the inflammation and improves the glucose absorption.

3.Glucose absorption - Green tea inhibits α-amylase, an enzyme involved in carbohydrate digestion and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, slowing down the breakdown of complex carbohydrates into glucose molecules, resulting in a gradual glucose release into the bloodstream.

4.Weight management - Excess body fat, especially in the abdomen, can cause insulin resistance, causing higher blood sugar levels. Adipose tissue releases hormones that affect insulin sensitivity, and reducing excess fat can restore a better balance of these hormones.

The bioactive compounds called catechins, aids in weight management by

Increasing Metabolism
Appetite Suppressing
Fat Oxidizing

Does green tea specifically helps T1D?

Yes, green tea also helps the type 1 diabetic has same as it aids the type 2 diabetic patients. The natural compounds of green tea is antioxidants, that is highly effective for T1D patients.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. It’s better to daignoise the T1D early and to begin consuming green tea.

The early consumption of green tea for type 1 diabetes helps to protect pancreatic beta cells from further damage and also it fights against the cardiovascular disease.

How to manage hypos of T1D & T2D with Green Tea?

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a condition that can occur in individuals with diabetes, particularly those who take insulin or certain oral medications to manage their blood sugar levels.

Hypo vibes were where you get the shaky head and your tongue often feels numb and tasteless, unstableness mentally having anxieties, stress, facing too much anger.

So you all just do that thing where you have a near death experience, nobody notices, and 10 mins later…carry on like nothing happened? Hypos like these are really nightmares, so let's take a look at what green tea can do to help.

Green tea Vs Hypos

Green tea is a low-calorie drink that has been associated with potential benefits for blood sugar management. It contains certain compounds, such as polyphenols, that have been shown to slow down the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates.

Caffeine content in green tea has stimulating effects that helps to raise blood sugar level in individuals who experience hypoglycemia.

But green tea may not raise the blood sugar level instantly, you need to have in hand hypo snacks like juice, candy and chocolates etc.

Where you all would have experienced doctors saying that this will only last for 5 years but you are on it for lifetime. The days you would just feel that can’t diabetes today, longingness for this so real among the diabetic community. But trying this green tea would be resulting a positive change and sign has it contains abundant amount of antioxidants and catechins.

How to prepare green tea for diabetes?

Heat the drinking water to a boil and let it cool for 2-3 minutes. This slightly cooled water will bring out the finest flavors from your delicate tea leaves.
Pour the hot water over the teabag to release its delightful aroma.
Allow the teabag to steep for a maximum of 2 minutes. If you desire a stronger flavor, you can steep it a bit longer, but be cautious as over-steeping may result in bitterness.
Remove the teabag and savor your wonderfully refreshing cup of green tea!

Why No Sugar?

Diabetes means your body has trouble controlling the amount of sugar in your blood. When you eat foods or drink things with a lot of sugar, your blood sugar levels can go up really fast. This can be bad and cause a condition called hyperglycemia, where your blood sugar gets too high and can make you sick with different health problems.

Why No Honey?

Honey is not a good choice for people with diabetes because it has a type of sugar called fructose, which is a simple sugar. Simple sugars can quickly enter the bloodstream when you eat them. For someone with diabetes, this can cause high blood sugar levels, known as hyperglycemia, which can lead to more health problems. So, it's best for people with diabetes to steer clear of honey.

When to, how much, how many days - to drink?

To accept the fact that green tea isn’t just a hype, you must try this health drink to come for a conclusion. Alright lets check out the beginners faqs

1.When to drink?

The best and comforting timing to drink green tea for diabetes is one hour before and after meals that would help diabetics to suppress appetite and digest better. When you consume evening make sure it is before 45mins and more before bed.

2.How much to drink?

4 - 5 cups a day would be better, and 4oz to 6oz (120ml to 180ml) a cup is good enough to consume. It is important to sip slowly and intentionally from each cup.

3.Green tea on an empty stomach as a diabetic?

As of now there is a two answer, yes and no. because people have different body and needs, you too can try and experience on your own to find what suits you, but the safe answer is avoiding green tea on empty stomach generally.

4.How many days it takes to result?

We all need results right and we need a deadline to work on it. So here it is for adding green tea in your diabetes diet, take min 90 - max 180 days.

5.Does it interact with diabetes t1d and t2d medicines?

As the individuals body and the needs changes, it is good to check with your doctor before including green tea in your diet.

Green Tea and Combinations

Now we all know the benefits of plain green tea but to power up the fight and to tailor it for our body needs, we need some combinations.

Ginger and Green Tea:

Ginger's bioactive compounds have been studied for their potential benefits in enhancing insulin sensitivity, lowering blood sugar levels, promoting glucose uptake in cells, and exhibiting anti-diabetic properties. Those active components are -

Gingerol
Gingerdiol, a metabolite of gingerol
Ginger's aromatic ketones, including 6-gingerol and 8-gingerol.

Turmeric and Green Tea:

The active polyphenolic chemicals in turmeric, a spice, have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immune-boosting, insulin-enhancing, pancreatic beta cell function-supporting, glucose absorption-enhancing, and glycemic control capabilities. The bioactive components are

Curcumin - an active component that plays major role in lowering blood sugar level and in managing diabetes.
Turmerones - The component that contains anti-diabetic
Cineole - Aids to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce inflammation

Cinnamon and Green tea

Cinnamon enhances insulin sensitivity, slows carb digestion, and reduces oxidative stress, aiding in glucose control and diabetes management. It also positively impacts lipid metabolism, reducing cholesterol levels.

Cinnamaldehyde - This main component aids improve the sensitivity of insulin receptors on cells, glucose transporters, slow down the absorption of glucose.
Cinnamic Acid - helps to reduce oxidative stress and supports in insulin resistance
Manganese - A mineral that aids carbohydrate metabolism and healthy blood circulation.

The bottom line

Maybe you have prediabetes or any variant of diabetes, it’s you and your body, should find a way to live your life with the next level of selfcare and positivity.

I want to end this article with few selfcare tips:

First tip would be don't ever share anyone other than your close circle that you have diabetes, because they put lots of false inputs about diabetes in your mind, that would become a unwanted anxiety or stress.

Second tip comes with everything at once,

Move your body
Destress with yoga & meditation
Connect and Share with diabetic community
Prioritize sleep
Set a regular checkup with doctors, dieticians and personal trainers.

And we all know getting the insulin for a month is like buying new airpods every month, get a organic green tea collection in a subscribe and save option, and you take the control of your blood sugar level from now at just 9.99$ by saving 50%.

Including green tea in your diet would play an important role and always check with your healthcare before adding and introducing teas to your diet.