And You Thought This Herbal Tea Was All About Getting Your Zzzs

Which tea reduces stress and anxiety and treats canker sores, menstrual cramps, colic, indigestion, skin irritations, hemorrhoids, and can knock you out when you need a little help, among many other things? Chamomile tea, aka matricaria recutita. The latest benefit to this already long list has to do with diabetes. You read right, diabetes. This flowering plant from the daisy family, which originated in Europe and Asia, is now understood to be a possible treatment for thwarting diabetes complications. In the "Protective Effects of Dietary Chamomile Tea on Diabetic Complications" study conducted by researcher Atsushi Kato, chamomile extract decreased blood glucose levels remarkably in diabetic rats as compared with the rats that were kept on a normal diet. The extract also "showed significant inhibition of both ALR2 enzymes and sorbitol, whose elevated levels are associated with increased diabetic complications." With all the diabetes developments as of late, it will be interesting to see what continues to come out of this. There is no doubt, though, that this is good news indeed. Drink up!