AANP – Green Tea With Starchy Foods May Curb Blood Sugar Spikes – (Wednesday, November 14, 2012) –
According to new findings, mice fed epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG, a green tea antioxidant, along with corn starch showed a 50 percent lower spike in blood glucose levels, compared to mice fed only the starch. The EGCG dose fed to the mice translates to about one and a half cups of green tea for a human. EGCG was only effective when fed to mice simultaneously with corn starch. For humans, this may mean green tea will help control blood sugar increases brought on by starchy foods, such as breads and bagels.
However, EGCG had no significant effect on blood sugar spikes in mice that were fed glucose or maltose (forms of sugar); the compound only moderated blood sugar when consumed with starch, and only when consumed at the same time. EGCG may work by inhibiting the enzyme alpha-amylase that converts starches into sugar. The relatively low effective dose of EGCG makes a compelling case for human studies, the researchers said. This study was published in the November 2012 issue of the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food Research. It has now been made available online at http://tinyurl.com/bqq6mxz with subscription or access fee.