Peppermint is a herb native to Asia and Europe and now cultivated world wide. It adds flavor in food and even in toothpaste. Aside from just being a flavoring, peppermint is also an effective herbal medicine. It is effective for treating skin and digestive problems. According to some studies, peppermint can help diabetes patients who suffer from indigestion, nerve complications, bloating and blood sugar control.
How Does Peppermint Help Diabetes and Blood Sugar Control?
The main benefits of consuming peppermint for diabetes patients are improved digestion and reduced gastrointestinal ailments. With diabetes, your body faces problems in metabolizing fats and sugar. Thus, you can have problems in digesting fats which result in stomach pain and indigestion. Peppermint helps in improving the flow of bile and aiding the digestion process. This is especially important after a fatty meal.
The digestive benefit of peppermint also extends to relieving bloating. Some diabetes patients also grapple with Gastroparesis which leads to bloating, flatulence and stomach cramps. According to University of Maryland Medical Center, Peppermint helps to soothe muscles in your digestive tract and reduce gas.
Peppermint also showed potential in reducing blood sugar levels. According to research done by University of Maryland Medical Center, peppermint helped to reduce blood sugar levels in lab tests. However, further research has to be done to confirm the finding.
Despite the benefits in nerve disorders and digestion, it is still important to check with your doctor before using peppermint supplements. Peppermint is available as supplements in the form of capsules and tinctures. Talk to your doctor about any possible side effects as well. It is also important to remember that peppermint supplements cannot replace your diabetes medicine. Furthermore, the FDA has not yet approved it to treat diabetes as well as its complications.
You do not necessary need to take peppermint supplements as there are many ways you can use peppermint to reap its benefits. These include:
- Drinking peppermint tea
- Using peppermint essential oil
- Using peppermint ointments
