May Help Control or Prevent Diabetes

Drinking rooibos tea may help to control diabetes or prevent the development of Type 2 Diabetes. A 2013 Tokyo animal research found that polyphenols in rooibos tea help diabetic mice maintain their blood sugar levels and boost their glucose tolerance. Although rooibos tea will not cure diabetes, it may help reduce insulin resistance and relieve symptoms if drank on a daily basis.

The polyphenol aspalathin, in particular, serves to boost glucose absorption while suppressing the rise in fasting glucose levels that can cause blood sugar rises in diabetics. For five weeks, mice were administered aspalathin levels comparable to those seen in rooibos tea. The mice were also found to have reduced levels of expression in genes linked to inherited diabetes risks.