With 24 per cent of the local population and 18 per cent of expats in the UAE suffering from diabetes, according to 2009 government figures, it's somehow reassuring to know that a special tea called GlucosCare Tea is able to reduce the sugar level in the body. Diabetes is a condition which results from the lack of insulin and deficiency or ineffectiveness of insulin results in high levels of glucose circulating in the bloodstream.
Joe Fam, executive director of GlucosCare Tea International, which has been producing the tea in Singapore since 11 years, said people with high blood sugar should drink it after a meal to reduce the sugar being absorbed in the body.
"The molecular structure of the tea is similar to glucose, so it's able to block the sugar receptor," Fam said.
GlucosCare Tea is scientifically formulated with green-tea extracts and Gymnema herbs and does not contain synthetic drugs or chemical compounds, which may cause side-effects. A box of 24 teabags costs Dh30 and can be purchased at Choithram supermarket.
Anyone above 12 years can take one teabag brewed with hot water (300-500ml) after every meal (breakfast, lunch and dinner), without adding sugar or honey.
Results are seen within one to four weeks, depending on the seriousness of the illness. Improvements in blood-sugar level can be seen within two weeks for those at an advanced stage of diabetes. Borderline cases may take about a month to see improvements.
The tea reduces cholesterol and is also recommended for obese people who have developed insulin-resistance, as it can help them slim down by cutting down sugar absorption.
Fam is in Dubai to attend a series of seminars for diabetic patients.
Other UAE government figures indicate that 17 per cent of the local population and 13 per cent of expats are impaired glucose tolerant or pre-diabetics.
