Are you looking for a natural way to manage your blood sugar levels? This video explores a highly recommended tea that can help control glucose, how to prepare it properly, and the best times to drink it for optimal results. It’s about finding simple, natural methods to support your health. (Based on the insights of Dr. Antonio Cota.)

Key Takeaways

• The tea discussed can improve insulin sensitivity.
• It offers benefits for individuals with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.
• Proper preparation and timing are important for maximizing its effects.
• This tea works best when combined with healthy lifestyle habits.

Understanding Blood Sugar and Insulin

Many people struggle with high blood sugar or diabetes. Often, the only advice given is to take medication or insulin, which can feel discouraging. But here’s the thing: type 2 diabetes is often reversible. Managing your blood sugar isn’t just about lowering glucose; it’s also about reducing your insulin levels and improving insulin resistance. Most diabetes medications don’t address insulin resistance directly. While some newer injections and medications can help with weight loss or glucose excretion, they can have side effects or lead to a rebound effect when stopped. This is where natural approaches, like diet changes, intermittent fasting, and herbal teas, come into play. They can help lower both glucose and insulin, which is key to potentially reversing the condition.

The Power of Natural Teas

Herbal teas offer a natural alternative with several advantages over medications. They generally have fewer side effects, are made from natural ingredients (as long as they aren’t processed with harmful materials), and are usually gentle on the kidneys. Of course, if you have serious kidney or liver issues, or are on other medications, it’s always wise to check with your doctor first. Beyond their potential blood sugar benefits, these teas can also support gut health and promote relaxation, which can improve sleep quality and help regulate cortisol levels.

Cinnamon and Clove Tea: A Potent Combination

The most effective tea for helping to lower blood glucose levels is a combination of cinnamon and clove. Specifically, Ceylon cinnamon is preferred because it contains more beneficial compounds that help improve insulin sensitivity. When combined with cloves, the effect is amplified. Studies suggest that drinking cinnamon and clove tea can lead to a reduction in blood glucose levels by 10% to 25%. Think of it this way: if your diet lowers sugar by 20% and fasting by 15%, adding this tea can provide another 10% boost, giving your body more tools to manage glucose. Importantly, Ceylon cinnamon also helps lower insulin levels, a critical factor in reversing diabetes.

To put it in perspective, medications like metformin primarily work by telling your liver to produce less sugar. While this can lower blood glucose, it doesn’t do much for insulin levels. Without lowering insulin, reversing diabetes is much harder.

How to Prepare Your Cinnamon and Clove Tea

Preparing this beneficial tea is simple:

1. Gather your ingredients: You’ll need one cinnamon stick (preferably Ceylon), two to three whole cloves, and about 1.5 cups of water.
2. Boil the water: Bring the water to a boil.
3. Steep the ingredients: Once boiling, turn off the heat. Add the cinnamon stick and cloves to the hot water.
4. Let it infuse: Let the mixture steep for 10 to 15 minutes. You can steep it longer for a stronger flavor, but it’s not strictly necessary.
5. Strain and enjoy: Strain the tea to remove any small particles before drinking.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While this tea is beneficial, there are a few common mistakes people make:

• Drinking too much: The recommended amount is one to two cups per day. Drinking excessive amounts, like a liter or two, won’t necessarily increase the benefits and could potentially lead to more side effects. Just like with medications, there’s a point where more isn’t better.
• Timing issues: While you can drink this tea any time of day, be mindful if you frequently wake up to urinate at night, especially if you have prostate or bladder issues. Drinking it too close to bedtime might increase nighttime bathroom trips, disrupting sleep and potentially affecting cortisol and glucose levels. If this is a problem for you, it’s best to avoid it at night.
• Overlapping with rapid-acting insulin: If you’re using rapid-acting insulin before meals, avoid taking this tea at the exact same time. Combining too many things that lower blood sugar simultaneously can lead to unstable glucose levels. It’s better to space out your interventions – perhaps have the tea in the morning, vinegar in the afternoon, and metformin at night.
• Adding calories: Don’t add milk, honey, MCT oil, butter, or other sweeteners. These additions can add calories and interfere with the tea’s effectiveness. The goal is to enjoy the natural benefits of cinnamon and clove.
• Confusing it with water intake: This tea counts as a beverage, but it doesn’t replace your daily intake of plain water. You still need to drink enough regular water throughout the day. If you have kidney, heart, or fluid retention issues, always consult your doctor about your total fluid intake.

Integrating Tea into Your Health Routine

This cinnamon and clove tea is not a magic cure but a supportive measure. It complements a healthy diet, regular exercise, and practices like intermittent fasting. You can certainly alternate it with other herbal teas. The key is to remember that while this tea is potent for lowering glucose, moderation is important. When prepared correctly and consumed mindfully, it can be a great addition to your efforts to manage blood sugar and work towards reversing type 2 diabetes.