A recent study has found that people who drink this beverage daily have a significantly lower risk of developing diabetes than those who don't.
According to medical literature, consuming foods such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and oats is effective in preventing the risk of diabetes. But a new study published in the journal Diabetologia on October 3, 2023, found that drinking a cup of black tea every day can also help control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
The Difference Between Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes
Prediabetes is a warning sign that the body is not able to process glucose (sugar) in the blood effectively, causing blood sugar levels to rise, but still lower than the level considered type 2 diabetes.
Drinking
a cup of black tea every day can also help control blood sugar levels.
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance, which makes it difficult for the body to use glucose for energy. In other words, insulin is like a "key" that "unlocks" cells so that glucose can enter and be converted into energy. However , when the body is insulin resistant, the cells are not "unlocked", glucose cannot enter the cells, causing glucose to accumulate in the blood and leading to many health problems.
How does black tea help prevent diabetes?
Black tea is a type of tea that has undergone a fermentation process. Therefore, the chemical components of fresh tea leaves can be transformed to create the color as well as the flavor, unique characteristics of black tea.
In the study, scientists followed the health of 1,923 people aged 20-80. 59% of the study participants had normal blood sugar levels, 23% had been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and 18% had prediabetes. Participants were asked how often they drank tea (never, occasionally, regularly and daily) as well as the type of tea they drank (green tea, black tea or other teas).
Thereby, scientists examined the impact of the type of tea and frequency of tea consumption of this group of people on the excretion of glucose through urine. In people with diabetes, kidney function often does not work effectively, so glucose will be retained in the blood instead of being excreted through urine.
The results showed that people who drank black tea every day excreted more glucose in their urine. This is a sign that their bodies can get rid of glucose more effectively. People who drank black tea every day had a 53% lower risk of prediabetes and a 47% lower risk of type 2 diabetes than people who never drank black tea.
Researchers explain that the fermentation process of black tea can create unique compounds that have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, improve insulin sensitivity, enhance pancreatic function, and positively alter the gut microbiota. Additionally, drinking black tea has also been linked to increased urinary glucose excretion and reduced insulin resistance, which can help the body better control blood sugar.
Black tea has similar benefits as an anti-diabetic drug.
Dr. Tongzhi Wu of the University of Adelaide (Australia), one of the authors of the study, said that black tea has similar benefits to an anti-diabetic drug - SGLT2 inhibitor . Inhibition of SGLT2 will cause glucosuria, thereby helping to reduce blood glucose.
The findings suggest that compounds in black tea may act like SGLT2 inhibitors by affecting the way the kidneys process glucose. These effects were most pronounced in people who drank black tea daily. "Drinking black tea every day may reduce the risk and progression of type 2 diabetes through more effective blood sugar control ," Dr. Wu said.
Despite the promising findings, the researchers are not yet sure that an observational study alone can guarantee that drinking tea every day directly improves blood sugar control. Accordingly, the researchers are conducting another trial to further clarify this benefit of black tea.
Other benefits of black tea
Improve digestive health
A study published in the British Medical Journal in 2018 found that certain components in black tea can support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, thereby helping to improve digestive health.
Antioxidant and anticancer
Like other teas, black tea contains polyphenols such as catechins, flavonoids and polyphenol oxidation products derived from tea leaves. These compounds have powerful antioxidant properties, which can fight free radicals in the body, slow down the aging process and prevent cancer.
Lower blood pressure
Black tea contains theanine, an amino acid that may help regulate blood pressure. Other compounds such as polyphenols in black tea have also been shown in some studies to lower blood pressure.
Losing weight
Some preliminary studies suggest that adding black tea to your daily diet may help you lose weight. This is because black tea helps boost metabolism, reduce calorie intake, improve insulin sensitivity, and aid in fat burning.
Lower blood lipids
Black tea contains a large amount of polysaccharides. These active ingredients can reduce the levels of triglycerides and 'bad' cholesterol - LDL - in the blood.
