Brewed to protection
Believe it or not, my husband is an avid tea-drinker. While Starbucks is my beverage indulgence, he'd rather hit our local Teavana, which offers dozens of different types of tea, all brewed to order. One of his favorites is a chamomile blend, and knowing what I do now about this variety of tea, it's a choice I'll be encouraging much more often. According to a recent study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, "daily consumption of chamomile tea with meals could contribute to the prevention of hyperglycemia and diabetic complications." The researchers came to this conclusion by testing chamomile tea and its extracts in diabetic rats. They found that when the rats received the tea, their blood glucose levels were much lower. Granted, the age-old "more research is needed" does apply here. But I'm all for drug-free ways to manage blood sugar levels and tackle diabetes, and this study offers one of the simplest methods yet. And since chamomile tea certainly can't hurt, it seems like it's well worth a try. Source:
"Chamomile tea may prevent diabetes complications: study," NutraIngredients (www.nutraingredients.com), 9/16/08 | 
