Diabetes

Diabetes or "sugar diabetes" as it is most commonly referred to, is broken down into two main classes.     

Type 1 - Insulin dependant diabetes(IDDM).
Type 2 - Non-insulin-dependant diabetes(NIDDM)

Other forms of diabetes include gestational diabetes(During pregnancy), water diabetes and several other much more rare types of diabetes.  Diabetes is a disease characterized by the insufficient secretion or improper functioning of insulin.  Insulin regulates the amount of blood sugar in our tissue.  Improper absorption of blood sugar leads excess concentrations that must be released through urine.  If this continues for long periods of time it can lead to a number of more serious illnesses.  The polyphenol group of green tea catechins have been shown to lower blood sugars. Polysaccharides in green tea have also been shown to lower blood sugar offering green tea a 1-2 punch.  

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently reported that the green tea catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), could enhance the action of insulin. In fact, researchers have found that EGCG influences the primary way glucose is absorbed.  EGCG may also help diabetics by mimicking the actions of insulin and inhibiting the liver's production of glucose, thus lowering blood sugar.  The liver produces some glucose but the most common sugar spikes occur from the food we eat.  Recent studies suggest green tea catechins may reduce the amount of glucose that passes through the intestine and into the bloodstream.  This will benefits diabetics by preventing blood-sugar spikes when tea is taken with meals.  

Antioxidants
Caffeine
Cancer
Cholesterol
Diabetes
Green Tea Diet & Weight Loss
Halitosis
Heart Disease
High Blood pressure
Influenza
Osteoporosis

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