Darjeeling Black TeaAccording to a study conducted in Tianjin University, China, a polysaccharide compound found in black tea works similar to Precose and Glyset, both of which are Type 2 Diabetes drugs.
According to the study conducted by Dr. Haixia Chen and his colleagues, the compound in question is specific to black tea and is not found in less-processed oolong and green teas. Black tea had been used in the past in China and Japan to lower blood sugar.
Chen and colleagues have shown that the polysaccharide compound in question inhibits an enzyme called alpha-glucosidase, which turns starch into glucose. That inhibition effect helps lower blood sugar level.
"Many efforts have been made to search for effective glucose inhibitors from natural materials," Dr. Chen says in a press release. "There is a potential for exploitation of black tea polysaccharide in managing diabetes.”
However the experiment was conducted with high concentrations of polysaccharides extracted from black tea. Therefore it is not clear at this writing if brewed black tea would have the same inhibitory effect. CAUTION: Large quantities of black tea is known to lead to respiratory and nervous problems and is not recommended.
The finding was published in the Journal of Food Science.
If it is not clear whether brewed tea, the method readily available to ordinary consumers, will yield the same health effects as methods used in extracting high concentrations of polysaccharides form black tea, how can ordinary people benefit from black tea consumption in the privacy of their homes, offices, or small business environments? Are there simple ways by which ordinary, non-science oriented people can prepare their teas for optimal health benefits, since the laboratory methods are so
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The way I usually brew black tea is, I use a two-chamber Tea Maker. I add a tablespoonful of black tea to the top chamber and boil water at the bottom. When water is boiling I turn down the flame to minimum then fill the top chamber with 1 or 2 cups of hot water. I let it steep for 2 or 3 minutes, then pour the brewed black tea from top chamber by using a strainer (to filter out the leaves). This would be perhaps 1/5th of the cup. Then I top it off with hot water from the bottom chamber. For sweetener I use either honey or Splenda. I especially love a strong cup of black tea early in the morning, at the breakfast table. It's invigorating and sets the mood right for the rest of the day. Best regards, Ugur
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