Black Tea May Prevent Diabetes

Scientists from Dundee University have discovered black tea components that may help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Green tea is already well known for its health benefits. Now black tea is also showing to have benefits. Some components in black tea, such as theaflavins and thearubigins, may be considered as insulin substitute.

"What we have found is that these constituents can mimic insulin action on proteins known as foxos," said Dr Graham Rena from Dundee University. "Foxos have previously been shown to underlie associations between diet and health in a wide variety of organisms including mice, worms and fruit flies. The task now is to see whether we can translate these findings into something useful for human health."

The study is not completed yet, and the scientists are not sure about the way tea works, but they are sure that black tea is beneficial. However, they also urge diabetics to keep taking their medicines. Scientists will go on with further researches to develop new healthy 'tea diet' for patients.