Save Your Eyes - Have a Cuppa!

The researchers studied the effects of green and black tea on four groups of rates: a normal group (non-diabetic); a diabetic control group, a group of rats with diabetes that were given green tea and a similar group who were given black tea. Over three months, the teas were incorporated into the rats' drinking water to the extent that they were effectively drinking around 5 normal size cups of tea a day.

The rats' blood and eye lenses were analysed to determine whether the teas reduced blood glucose levels and reduced the incidence of cataracts (a common problem associated with diabetes).

The results indicated that both green and black teas significantly inhibited the formation of cataracts relative to the control group that did not drink any tea.

---

---

The researchers commented that drinking the teas 'significantly decreased glucose, and ....inhibited the pathological pathways of diabetes in lens, plasma and red blood cells'. Blood plasma glucose levels in the tea drinking diabetic rats typically fell around 30%. In addition, the severity of cataracts amongst the diabetic rats was significantly reduced by drinking tea (interestingly, black tea appeared to have a more beneficial effect than green tea).

This and other studies have shown that there are numerous health benefits from regular consumption of tea. Whether consumed as a drink or as a supplement, research suggests that the components in tea can have a positive effect on a number of conditions and disorders. Tea has the potential to play an indispensable role in the maintenance of health and wellbeing.



(1) Vinson JA, Zhang J. Black and green teas equally inhibit diabetic cataracts in a streptozotocin-induced rat model of diabetes. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2005;53:3710-3713.

---

---

Other General Health Articles