Does Green Tea Lower Blood Sugar and Increase Insulin Activity?

Want to avoid metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes? It is possible to prevent both of these conditions if you take control of your eating habits and exercise. No expensive prescription drugs or complicated exercises are required. It could be as simple as drinking four cups of green tea a day and walking for 30 minutes, four or five times a week.

Metabolic syndrome is probably not on your radar screen, yet one in five people are affected in the U.S. Risk factors include extra weight around the waist, insulin resistance, aging, genes, hormone changes, and lack of exercise, which are all harbingers to both cardiovascular disease and (the focus of this article) type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes is characterized by insufficient secretion or improper functioning of insulin.

Obesity is a primary risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes. It is closely associated with little or no exercise and poor diet choices, and creates conditions in your body such as:

    * High blood sugar levels
    * Reduced insulin levels and activity
    * High blood pressure
    * Oxidative stress
    * Increase in free radicals that damage cells and DNA (aging process)
    * High LDL (bad) cholesterol
    * And a host of other damages to the heart, kidneys, liver, and pancreas

How can or does green tea lower blood sugar? Green tea is produced by wilting, steaming, and drying the leaves without fermentation. This process retains the potent antioxidant catechin compounds, unlike the process used for black or oolong tea. It appears these catechins are responsible for green tea's blood sugar-lowering properties.

I am listing the answer to, does green tea lower blood sugar and increase insulin activity, along with many other health benefits it provides:

    * Yes, it lowers blood sugar levels
    * Increases insulin activity
    * Promotes glucose metabolism in healthy individuals
    * Suppresses glucose transfer from the intestine to the blood stream
    * Reduces the enzyme amylase that helps convert starch to sugar
    * Does not lower the blood sugar levels in a healthy person
    * Polysaccharides are also present in the leaves and have the same ability to regulate blood sugar as insulin does
    * Could forestall or alleviate the risk of metabolic syndrome, a precursor to type 2 diabetes
    * Importantly could control or prevent type 2 diabetes

Does green tea lower blood sugar and increase insulin activity is answered with a resounding yes. There are still a few important facts you should know before you consider drinking this healthful beverage.

    * The antioxidant activity of green tea is almost six times that of black
    * Caffeine does not help in lowering blood sugar and can have an adverse effect on blood sugar
    * Drinking unsweetened decaffeinated green tea might be more beneficial
    * Green tea extract pills and nutritional supplements are primarily made from extracts of the decaffeinated leaves.
    * Milk in tea does not reduce the increase of insulin activity in humans, but don't add sugar
    * Instant, herbal, and other commercially prepared teas do not show increased insulin activity in studies conducted by the USDA

Does green tea lower blood sugar and increase insulin activity? I have included a lot of supporting information that I hope is helpful and the answer is still yes.

Do yourself a favor and consider the many health benefits to be obtained with regular exercise, a healthful diet, and consumption of the potent green leaf antioxidant compounds.

Think of how much enjoyment there is to be gained by being healthy.

If you try the beverage and don't care for the taste, try taking a nutritional supplement containing the antioxidant compounds plus many other health benefitting vitamins and nutrients.