Natural alpha-glucosidase inhibitors found in Black Tea

Glucosidases are a family of enzymes that digest carbohydrates by breaking the chains between the sugar molecules, leaving the simplest form to enter the bloodstream. One in particular, known as alpha-glucosidase and found in the digestive juice, has long been a target for type II diabetic therapy. Scientists found that by inhibiting alpha-glucosidase, the breakdown of carbohydrates was restricted thereby reducing the impact on blood sugar. Several pharmaceutical drugs exist for this, but researchers always seem to be on the hunt for natural alternatives. Research published in the Journal of Food Science has identified another – tea. They investigated the alpha-glucosidase inhibitory effects of black, green and oolong tea, with black tea having the highest activity.

Source: Haixia Chen, Zhishuang Qu, Lingling Fu, Peng Dong, and Xin Zhang. Physicochemical Properties and Antioxidant Capacity of 3 Polysaccharides from Green Tea, Oolong Tea, and Black Tea. Journal of Food Science. Volume 74 Issue 6, Pages C469 - C474.