In continuation on my update on green tea
Mice
fed an antioxidant found in green tea
epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG and corn starch had a significant
reduction in increase in their blood sugar blood glucose levels compared to
mice that were not fed the compound, according to Joshua Lambert, assistant
professor of food science in agricultural sciences.
The dose of EGCG fed
to the mice was equivalent to about one and a half cups of green tea for a
human. Lambert, who worked with Sarah C. Forester, postdoctoral fellow, and
Yeyi Gu, graduate student,
both in food science, said EGCG was most effective when the compound was fed to
the mice simultaneously with corn starch. For humans, this may mean that green
tea could help them control the typical blood sugar increases that are brought
on when they eat starchy foods, like breads and bagels that are often a part of
typical breakfasts.
"The spike in blood glucose level is about 50 percent lower than the increase in the blood glucose level of mice that were not fed EGCG," Lambert said.
