Tea has long been used in China as a natural remedy, used by the British as a societal prerequisite, and the proliferation of tea brands and types at your local grocery attests to Americans current love of the brew.
Sure, English Breakfast tea is delicious when paired with a scone, green tea can be sipped alongside sushi, and my favorite spiced Indian chai has become a staple with the latte lovers at Starbucks; but none of these compare to the herbal healing powers of chamomile, which new research concludes could soon help diabetes patients.
Chamomile is a mild tea with a fruit flavor many have likened to the scent and taste of apples. Ironically, the word chamomile is derived from the Greek word chamaimÄ“lon, meaning “ground apple” or “earth apple” and is made by drying flowers of the plant Matricaria chamomilla L. and steeping them in water for a few minutes, providing the drinker with a multitude of antioxidants. Chamomile could be called the physician of teas with a variety of uses such as calming stress, soothing anxiety and nervous disorders, inducing sleep at night, relieving stomach cramps, inflammation, skin irritations and gout, while boosting the immune system. A new study followed chamomile’s progress in lowering certain conditions caused by diabetes.
Researchers from Japan and the United Kingdom reported their findings from giving chamomile extracts to diabetic rats once a day for three weeks. Published in the September 10, 2008 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry the study tracked the blood glucose levels in the rats compared to other diabetic rats that were fed a normal diet and not the chamomile extract. The University of Toyama in Japan and the United Kingdom’s Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research compared the findings between the two groups of rodents after 21 days. The rats who had received the extract showed a large decrease in their blood glucose levels. Scientists also noticed that the chamomile also triggered a response in two enzymes that can play a role in the decline of the body’s functions due to diabetes. The enzymes, which control nerve damage, cataracts, retinal damage to the eyes, and kidney damage were blocked in the rats induced with chamomile, leading the authors to conclude, "These results clearly suggested that daily consumption of chamomile tea with meals could contribute to the prevention of the progress of hyperglycemia and diabetic complications."
The findings also might be a first step to scientists developing a drug with chamomile to prevent the common type II diabetes occurring in adults, but that news will have to wait.
Still, these results are preliminary and the transition from rats to adults hasn’t been made yet. The charity Diabetes UK’s Dr. Victoria King recommends more research of chamomile’s effects before prescribing daily cups of it with meals reinforcing good health such as, “Eating a healthy balanced diet, taking regular physical activity and adhering to any prescribed medicines remain key ways to effectively control blood glucose levels, blood pressure and blood fats. Good diabetes management will help reduce the risk of serious complications such as heart disease, stroke and blindness."
Even if drinking a cup of tea with meals to lower your chances of progressing diabetes further becomes a recommendation sometime in the near future, neither scientists nor doctors will be advising only a “miracle cup of tea” as an alternative to eating healthy, keeping a regular workout routine or continuing with any prescribed medications. In the meantime, however, it’s not a bad idea to keep your body and mind in smooth working condition by steeping a bag or two, soothing your nerves, settling your stomach, and sinking into the couch for a calm night in.
Researchers from Japan and the United Kingdom reported their findings from giving chamomile extracts to diabetic rats once a day for three weeks. Published in the September 10, 2008 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry the study tracked the blood glucose levels in the rats compared to other diabetic rats that were fed a normal diet and not the chamomile extract. The University of Toyama in Japan and the United Kingdom’s Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research compared the findings between the two groups of rodents after 21 days. The rats who had received the extract showed a large decrease in their blood glucose levels. Scientists also noticed that the chamomile also triggered a response in two enzymes that can play a role in the decline of the body’s functions due to diabetes. The enzymes, which control nerve damage, cataracts, retinal damage to the eyes, and kidney damage were blocked in the rats induced with chamomile, leading the authors to conclude, "These results clearly suggested that daily consumption of chamomile tea with meals could contribute to the prevention of the progress of hyperglycemia and diabetic complications."
The findings also might be a first step to scientists developing a drug with chamomile to prevent the common type II diabetes occurring in adults, but that news will have to wait.
Still, these results are preliminary and the transition from rats to adults hasn’t been made yet. The charity Diabetes UK’s Dr. Victoria King recommends more research of chamomile’s effects before prescribing daily cups of it with meals reinforcing good health such as, “Eating a healthy balanced diet, taking regular physical activity and adhering to any prescribed medicines remain key ways to effectively control blood glucose levels, blood pressure and blood fats. Good diabetes management will help reduce the risk of serious complications such as heart disease, stroke and blindness."
Even if drinking a cup of tea with meals to lower your chances of progressing diabetes further becomes a recommendation sometime in the near future, neither scientists nor doctors will be advising only a “miracle cup of tea” as an alternative to eating healthy, keeping a regular workout routine or continuing with any prescribed medications. In the meantime, however, it’s not a bad idea to keep your body and mind in smooth working condition by steeping a bag or two, soothing your nerves, settling your stomach, and sinking into the couch for a calm night in.
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