Red Wine and Tea May Reduce Blood Sugar Levels

If you start your day with a cup of tea and end it with a glass of red wine, your blood sugar may thank you.

At least that's the assertion behind a new report from Health News Wires, which describes how polyphenols in red wine and tea might help to lower blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes.

The study

Researchers from the University of Massachusetts found that red wine blocks the function of the key enzyme responsible for the absorption of sugar in the intestines – by 100 percent. White wine was able to block absorption by about 20 percent, the report stated.

Different types of tea also showed this result, with black tea being the most effective at helping to lower blood glucose levels by slowing the rate which sugar and carbohydrates enter into the bloodstream.

Healing plants

The authors noted that the research isn't an endorsement to start drinking if you don't already – or to increase your consumption of alcohol. But plant-based polyphenols can help with insulin resistance and may help to avoid blood sugar spikes.

Also, unlike many medications used to treat diabetes, the components of red wine and tea did not appear to effect pancreatic enzymes that help to break down starches. Diabetes drugs often interfere with the production of these enzymes, the researchers said, which can lead to the fermentation of "bad" bacteria in the digestive system, leading to bloating and gas.

Source: PR Web