Why Adding Tea Time To Your Day May Reduce Your Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes

Over the years, science has shown us the powerful effects that tea can have on the body. For example, a 2020 study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology found that tea drinking may cut one's risk for death due to heart disease by over 50% (via Best Life). In addition, a 2022 scientific review found links between tea consumption and reduced rates of aging-related cognitive decline in older adults.

Now, new research recently presented at the 58th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes shows that drinking tea may help protect against yet another disease — Type 2 diabetes. As the most common form of diabetes, the condition occurs when the body is unable to utilize insulin as it should, reports the American Diabetes Association. The researchers compounded 19 studies' worth of data from more than 1 million adults across eight countries and looked at how consumption of green, black, and Oolong tea affected participant health (via EurekAlert!). Marginal benefits were seen among groups who drank less than one cup of tea per day to as many as three cups each day in comparison to those who were not tea-drinkers, as per the research. However, Type 2 diabetes risk reduction was found to be greatest amongst those who drank four or more cups of tea a day.

"Our results are exciting because they suggest that people can do something as simple as drinking four cups of tea a day to potentially lessen their risk of developing type 2 diabetes," lead author of the research Xiaying Li from Wuhan University of Science and Technology in China stated via EurekAlert!. Specifically, the study team found that Type 2 diabetes risk was reduced by 17% in those who drank at least four cups of tea daily over the course of a decade.

When comparing the effects of three different types of tea, researchers found that the relationship remained consistent whether participants were drinking green, black, or Oolong tea, even when factoring in sex or location of where they lived (per EurekAlert!). Offering a possible explanation for their findings, Li points to the bioactive compounds in tea, such as polyphenols, which may be effective at decreasing blood sugar levels when consumed in large amounts. "While more research needs to be done to determine the exact dosage and mechanisms behind these observations, our findings suggest that drinking tea is beneficial in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, but only at high doses," Li stated as reported via EurekAlert!.