s, we’ve seen lots of attention focused on the
health benefits of drinking green tea. Much of the research has
centered on green tea’s ability to prevent, and possibly even
treat, cancer.
But, there are other serious health concerns that may be
positively affected by adding green tea to your diet. One of
the most important is Type II diabetes.
Over 20 million people in the US have Type II diabetes, and
nearly one third of them don’t even know it. And, another 54
million are pre-diabetic, meaning their blood glucose levels
are higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as
diabetic.
This means that Type II diabetes is one of the most common
health concerns in the US today. Our climbing rate of obesity
has significantly contributed to the soaring diabetes rate.
Diabetes results when the body either does not produce enough
insulin, or does not use it properly. Insulin is the hormone
that converts sugar and other food into energy.
When insulin is not used properly, as is the case with Type II
diabetes, an over abundance of glucose is left in the body.
This is dangerous, and, over time can cause complications such
as kidney problems, blindness, heart disease, stroke, nerve
damage, foot problems and skin problems.
Other forms of diabetes include Type I diabetes and gestational
diabetes. Type I diabetes results from the body’s inability to
produce an adequate amount of insulin, and is typically
diagnosed during childhood.
Gestational diabetes occurs when pregnancy causes the body to
use insulin improperly. With proper diet, and sometimes
medication, gestational diabetes can usually be controlled, and
typically disappears once the pregnancy is over.
While we don’t fully understand what causes Type II diabetes,
we do know that people who are overweight are at greater risk
for developing the disease. Exercise and weight maintenance are
critical to preventing this disease.
Type II diabetes also tends to run in families; so if you have
a family history of diabetes, it’s even more important to keep
your weight in check and get regular exercise.
If you’re overweight, or if your blood glucose levels are
already high, there is a lot you can do to help lower your
blood sugar levels and prevent your condition from developing
into full blown diabetes.
In addition to getting regular exercise, you should pay close
attention to not only how much you eat, but what kinds of
foods, as well.
Avoid processed sugar and white flour – both of these are
difficult for the body to process into energy, and often leave
blood glucose levels higher than they should be.
Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with lean
protein. Avoid processed foods, as these tend to be high in
corn syrup, white flour and other sugars.
And, this is where green tea comes in. Several studies have
shown that drinking green tea helps keep your blood glucose
levels stable, avoiding excess highs or lows.
One study, reported by the UK Council on Tea, showed that
people who consume green tea regularly are at a lower risk of
developing Type II diabetes than those who don’t. In this
study, over 17,000 participants were evaluated.
The participants had no history of Type II diabetes, heart
disease or cancer at the beginning of the study. The
participants included both men and women, between the ages of
40 and 65.
The patients’ lifestyles were evaluated at the beginning of the
study, and then again in 5 years. At the five year follow up,
the study concluded that the participants who were tea or
coffee drinkers were less likely to have developed Type II
diabetes during the five year period.
The participants who drank 3 or more cups of tea a day showed a
more significant lowering of the chances of contracting
diabetes.
This news is extremely positive for those who are looking for
ways to reduce their chances of contracting diabetes. It seems
there’s an additional tool in our arsenal for protecting
ourselves against diabetes.
Green tea, along with coffee and black tea, can’t ensure on its
own that you don’t contract diabetes, but they do seem to be a
simple habit that has a significant effect.
Tea may also be an effective adjunct therapy for those who
already have diabetes. When used along with diet and exercise,
you may find that green tea stabilizes your insulin levels
enough to lower your dosage of medication.
In addition, for those patients managing diabetes without
medication may find it easier to do so by adding green tea to
their diet. Of course, you should always consult your doctor
before adding any alternative therapies to your routine.
Another benefit of drinking green tea to help control diabetes
as opposed to black tea or coffee is that it seems that green
tea can help you in managing your weight, which is key to
preventing diabetes.
Green tea appears to have a thermogenic effect on our bodies,
speeding up our metabolism and helping us to burn fat. So, in
addition to helping keep insulin levels stable, you may find it
easier to keep your weight under control with green tea as part
of your diet.
As time goes on, we’re finding more and more healthful benefits
of drinking green tea. It appears to have significant potential
in preventing cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and
even rheumatoid arthritis. And, now, we believe that it can
help prevent diabetes, too.
You should have no worries about adding green tea to your diet.
It does not have any known side effects, and poses no potential
health threats. And, while green tea does contain caffeine, it
contains significantly less than coffee or even black tea.
And, the caffeine in green tea doesn’t seem to accelerate the
heart rate the way caffeine in other beverages can. For these
reasons, many people who are caffeine sensitive seem to
tolerate green tea quite well.
So, brew yourself a cup of tea. There seems to be no reason not
to drink green tea, and many, many reasons why drinking it might
be the healthiest thing you do all day!
About The Author: Marcus Stout is President of the Golden Moon
Tea Company. For more information about tea, green tea and wu
long tea go to http://www.goldenmoontea.com
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