Green tea is a rich source of catechin, especially epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an active ingredient that has been shown to help reduce glucose absorption in the intestines and increase muscle sugar use.
Drinking 2-3 cups of green tea per day helps reduce the average of 8-10% of fasting blood sugar levels in people with prediabetes.
A clinical study of people who consumed 400 ml of green tea every morning for 12 weeks showed a 0.3% reduction in HbA1c - an indicator that blood sugar was better controlled thanks to EGCG's ability to activate AMPK enzyme, helping cells increase glucose uptake without relying entirely on insulin.
Lemon provides natural vitamin C, which helps reduce oxidative stress - a factor that contributes to insulin resistance and increased blood sugar.
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, supplementing vitamin C every day from natural food sources helps reduce free radical production by 25% and improve insulin sensitivity in the liver.
According to the Journal of Functional Foods, the mild acid environment from lemon water helps stabilize the catechin structure, increasing the absorption of EGCG in the digestive tract by up to 80%.
This means that when you add a few drops of lemon to green tea, the amount of bioactive substances absorbed by the body is significantly higher than drinking pure green tea.
An experiment at Kyoto University (2023) on 120 people with prediabetes showed that: the group who drank lemon green tea mixed twice a day for 8 weeks had an1% reduction in fasting blood sugar, and a 16% reduction in HOMA-IR (assessment of insulin resistance) while reducing visceral fat, a factor contributing to metabolic disorders.
You should have warm green tea (no more than 70°C), add a few drops of fresh lemon juice after the tea has cooled down to avoid destroying vitamin C.
Drink 1-2 cups/day, especially after a 30-minute meal to reduce sugar absorption.
Avoid mixing with sugar or honey, you can add slices of ginger to increase anti-inflammatory properties.
Do not drink green tea on an empty stomach or close to bedtime because the natural caffeine in tea can cause mild insomnia.
The habit of drinking lemon green tea is not only a secret to purifying the body but also a natural method to help stabilize blood sugar and protect energy metabolism.
The combination of catechin in tea and vitamin C from lemon has the effect of increasing insulin sensitivity, reducing glucose absorption and fighting oxidative stress.
