Tea may help control blood sugar

DALLAS, Nov. 24 (UPI) -- Tea has long been heralded as promoting heart health and may reduce cancer risk but a U.S. researcher suggests tea may also help control blood sugar.

Dr. Jo Ann Carson, professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, says studies from various countries suggest a lifetime consumption of at least two to four cups of tea per day -- black tea, in particular -- reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes.

However, Carson says while scientific evidence on tea's health benefits is limited, all teas -- green, white, black and oolong -- can be part of a healthy diet.

Carson says people have two choices -- learn to enjoy iced tea with little or no sugar, or drink sugared iced tea in moderation, generally once a day or less.