Tea has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years. While green tea has been enjoyed as a daily beverage overseas for centuries, its popularity in America only recently has spiked. Part of its popularity can be attributed to recent studies that have found numerous health benefits to regular tea drinking. Numbering among those are a few diabetes-specific benefits.

An animal study conducted by the University of Scranton found that black and green tea inhibited the growth of diabetic cataracts. Cataracts are a major concern for adult diabetics: in fact, diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults. High blood sugar adversely affects the eye and, in particular, the lens. Tea was found to lower significantly blood sugar levels. This, in turn, seems to negatively affect the mechanism that creates cataracts.

Some studies also suggest that consistent tea consumption can also reduce the risk of heart disease. A very recent study conducted in the Netherlands found that people who drank from three to six cups of tea a day were an astonishing 45 percent less likely to die from heart disease. You probably already know diabetes is a significant risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

Diabetes centers worldwide are conducting clinical trials on promising diabetes treatments on an ongoing basis. The exciting news about tea is just one result. Keep in touch with your local diabetes center for information on how you can participate in clinical trials on new treatments. In the meantime, we’ll have another cup.