Type 2 Diabetes – Is to Tea Or Not to Tea

The benefits of green, black, red, and white tea are confirmed in multiple scientific studies. The detriments of caffeine in blood sugar control for Type 2 diabetics, however, are also well documented. Do the benefits of tea for people with Type 2 diabetes outweigh its negatives?

What Can A Cup of Tea Do For Your Body: First of all, while it is true that caffeine can stimulate the release of cortisol by the adrenal glands and cortisol can stimulate the release of stored sugar from your liver, it’s important to note that a cup of brewed tea has only one quarter to one half of the amount of caffeine in a cup of coffee. Moreover, tea is an important source of antioxidants. One study found that in the British diet, 82 per cent of all antioxidants were derived from tea! Iced tea drinkers in the American South similarly depend on tea for their free radical protection.

The Benefit of Drinking Tea Includes: There is good evidence that drinking 2 to 3 cups of tea a day helps to prevent colorectal cancer. There is also some evidence that drinking 1 to 3 cups of tea a day can reduce the risk of ovarian cancer in women. Tea stops the fermentation of carbohydrates by the bacteria that cause tooth decay… actually depriving them of their food source and protecting the enamel of your teeth. This is interesting, women who drink tea have more calcium in their bones. Tea is a terrific way to hydrate, not having a diuretic effect (an increased output of urine by increasing your cardiac output and then increasing circulation through your kidneys) unless more than about 2 liters (8 cups, or 4 glasses) is drunk at a single time.

Important Benefits for Type 2 Diabetics: For diabetics, however, the most important benefit of tea may be the role of tea in protecting against heart disease. The flavonoids in tea help to keep your arteries open. The polyphenols in tea keep cholesterol from being oxidized into a form that can harden in the linings of blood vessels. And it only is necessary to drink 2 or 3 cups of black tea a day for this benefit.

Additional Hints When Drinking Tea: Adding sugar to your tea, of course, cancels out these benefits! If you drink more than 2 or 3 cups of tea a day, you may want to brew decaffeinated tea later in the day or in the evening. Loose tea has far greater antioxidant benefits than bagged.