Cinnamon, carqueja and cow paw teas are good natural remedies for lowering blood glucose because they have hypoglycemic properties that improve diabetes control. But in addition to these options, there are others that also help control glucose, such as sage, São Caetano melon, stone breakers and vegetable insulin.
All of these medicinal plants help lower blood sugar, but they do not replace diabetes medications or dietary rules that help control blood glucose.
That is why it is important to eat light meals, rich in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables or whole grains, every 3 or 4 hours, to keep blood sugar levels more constant, thus avoiding large variations in blood glucose, which also helps to control hunger, weight and diabetes. Check out other essential tips for controlling diabetes.
Main options
Some options for glucose-lowering teas that can be used to complement the treatment recommended by your doctor are:
1. Cinnamon tea
Cinnamon helps the body use sugar, reducing blood sugar levels and helping to control insulin resistance and glucose levels in diabetes.
It is possible to take advantage of the properties of cinnamon by using it as a substitute for sugar in coffee, as it has a slightly sweet flavor.
How to make: Place 3 cinnamon sticks and 1 liter of water in a pan and let it boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, cover the pan and wait for it to cool, drinking the tea several times a day.
2. Carqueja tea
The carqueja, whose scientific name is Baccharia trimerahas a hypoglycemic action, helping to keep blood glucose stable, as it also has purifying and antioxidant activity.
How to make: Place 10 grams of carqueja in 500 ml of boiling water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain and drink up to 3 cups per day.
3. Cow’s paw tea
Cow paw is a medicinal plant that has a protein that acts similar to insulin in the body. This action is proven in animals and is widely popular knowledge, but it lacks scientific proof in humans and, therefore, it is important that its use is carried out according to the doctor’s instructions.
How to make: Add 2 cow paw leaves and 1 cup of water in a pan and let it boil for a few minutes. Let it rest, strain and drink while still warm twice a day.
4. Sage tea
Sage, whose scientific name is Sage officinalishas a hypoglycemic effect, helping to lower blood sugar and helping to control diabetes and even regulate sugar levels in the case of pre-diabetes.
How to make: Place 2 tablespoons of dry sage leaves in 250 ml of boiling water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Take up to 2 times a day.
5. São Caetano melon tea
São Caetano melon has a hypoglycemic action, which means it lowers blood glucose naturally.
How to make: Place 1 tablespoon of dried melon leaves in 1 liter of boiling water. Let it rest for 5 minutes, strain and drink throughout the day.
6. Stonebreaker tea
Stonebreaker contains aqueous extracts that have shown a hypoglycemic effect, being useful for maintaining constant blood glucose levels.
How to make: Place 1 teaspoon of stonebreaker leaves in 1 cup of boiling water. Let it rest for 5 minutes, strain and drink while still warm. It can be taken 3 to 4 times a day.
7. Vegetable insulin tea
A climbing anile plant (Cissus sicyoides), popularly known as vegetable insulin, has hypoglycemic action, helping to control diabetes.
How to make: Place 2 tablespoons of vegetable insulin in 1 liter of water and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, turn off the heat and let it rest for another 10 minutes, then strain. Take 2 to 3 times a day.
8. Moringa tea
Moringa, whose scientific name is Moringa oleifera, is a plant that has many properties, including a natural hypoglycemic effect, helping to regulate glucose levels and combat diabetes. Moringa can be consumed in the form of teas or capsules. Learn more about moringa.
How to make: Place 250 mL of water in a pan and bring to a boil. Then, turn off the heat, add 1 tablespoon (10 grams) of moringa leaves, cover and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then strain and drink 2 cups a day.
9. Juniper tea
The juniper, whose scientific name is Common juniperis a plant that has hypoglycemic properties due to the presence of flavonoids in its composition, in addition to also having antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and can be used in the form of tea or tincture, for example.
How to make: To prepare the tea, place 2 to 3 juniper berries in a cup of boiling water, cover and let it rest for 5 minutes. Then strain and drink 1 to 3 cups per day for a maximum period of 6 weeks.
10. Green tea
Due to the antioxidant action of catechins, green tea reduces oxidative stress and improves insulin resistance, regulating sugar levels and helping to prevent and treat diabetes.
How to make: Place the green tea leaves in the boiled water, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then strain, add lemon juice and drink cold or hot.
11. Hibiscus tea
Hibiscus can help regulate blood sugar, as it could inhibit the activity of some pancreatic and intestinal enzymes responsible for digesting carbohydrates in the small intestine. This way, it is possible to avoid blood sugar spikes and excessive insulin excretion, helping to prevent and combat diabetes.
How to make: Place the hibiscus flowers in boiling water and leave for 5 minutes. Then strain and drink warm or cold 3 times a day.
12. Oolong tea
Oolong tea helps regulate blood sugar levels as it promotes the increase in adiponectin, a hormone produced by fat cells that helps regulate energy metabolism and improve glucose metabolism, increasing insulin sensitivity.
How to make: Place 2.5 grams of dried oolong leaves in 240 mL of boiled water, cover and let it rest for 5 minutes. Strain and drink warm up to 6 cups per day.
