Recent research suggests that chamomile tea could soon be helping diabetes patients.  Chamomile is a mild tea with a fruity flavor with a slight scent and taste of apples.  The tea is made by drying the flowers of the chamomile plant and steeping them in water for a few minutes.  Chamomile hosts a variety of uses including relieving stress, quelling anxiety and nervous disorders, promoting sleep, relieving stomach cramps, inflammation, skin irritations, gout, and boosts the immune system.  However, a new study is focusing on chamomile’s ability to lessen certain conditions caused by diabetes.

Researchers in Japan and the United Kingdom have reported their findings after administering chamomile extract to diabetic rats once a day for 3 weeks.  The study tracked blood glucose levels in the rats compared to diabetic rats that were not given the extract.  They compared the findings between the 2 groups after a 21-day trial.  The rats who were given the chamomile extract showed an enormous decrease in their blood glucose levels.  Scientists also noticed that the chamomile triggered a response in 2 enzymes that play a role in the decline of the body’s functions due to diabetes.  These enzymes control nerve damage; cataracts, retinal damage, and kidney damage were blocked in the rats that were given the chamomile.  This lead the authors to conclude that “These results clearly suggested that daily consumption of chamomile tea with meals could contribute to the prevention of the progress of hyperglycemia and diabetic complications.”

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