Loose Women: Dr Hilary discusses how to live longer
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Life expectancy in the UK has declined slightly over the recent years, the Office for National Statistics reports. With the coronavirus pandemic, many are re-evaluating their health habits and looking for easy ways to boost their longevity. There’s a certain drink that may help target two major health problems.
The hot drink which may help guard against diabetes and heart disease is chai.
The tea, also known as masala tea, is usually a fragrant mix of black tea, ginger and other spices.
The blend of spices can include cardamon, cinnamon, fennel, black pepper, cloves as well as other flavours.
Chai’s link to diabetes relies on its ability to maintain blood sugar levels, which may reduce the risk of diabetes, Science Times explains.
The main ingredients associated with blood sugar control are ginger and cinnamon.
Both of these pungent chai ingredients have beneficial effects on blood sugar levels.
Cinnamon has been heavily researched for its effects on glucose.
According to the National Library of Medicine, the brown spice may lower insulin resistance and fasting blood sugar levels by 10 to 29 percent.
Insulin resistance describes when certain cells in your body don’t respond well to insulin and can’t easily take up sugar from your blood.
Black tea on its own can also be helpful as it contributes to the regulation of blood sugar levels and may stop sudden spikes, Science Times adds.
Why is diabetes dangerous?
Diabetes can be deadly in some cases. According to the World Health Organization, in 2019 this condition claimed around 1.5 million lives worldwide.
Problems mainly occur when diabetes isn’t treated. High blood sugar levels can cause serious damage to various parts of your body, including your heart.
For example, your blood vessels can become damaged, leading to heart attacks or strokes, Diabetes UK states.
That’s why one of the most crucial aspects of managing the condition is blood sugar control.
Chai tea and heart disease
Heart disease is another leading cause of death, with one person dying every 36 seconds from the condition in the US, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shares.
This is where cinnamon comes into play again as it also proved beneficial for lowering blood pressure and “bad” cholesterol when studied.
High blood pressure, as well as cholesterol, can lead to heart disease and stroke because of their negative impact on arteries.
But most studies looked at the dose of around one to six grams of cinnamon per day, which is more than you might find in your chai.
Also, the studies didn’t directly look at the effects of the tea as a whole but only on one of its ingredients.
However, research published in the National Library of Medicine suggests that drinking three or more cups of black tea – the base of chai – daily may lower your risk of heart disease by 11 percent.
The bottom line is that certain ingredients in the chai, such as cinnamon, black tea and ginger, may help lower your risk of these two serious conditions.
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