Rosemary, oregano can fight type-2 diabetes: Study

Zee Media Bureau

New York: If you are suffering from type 2 diabetes then start including rosemary and oregano in your diet. Research suggests that diet consisting of these two may help you to control blood sugar levels naturally.

Rosemary and oregano contain diabetes-fighting compound and they could be prescribed as anti-diabetic medication as shown by findings.

Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia, a professor at University of Illinois in the US says that how the herbs are grown makes a difference.

Researchers tested four different herbs for the study, either greenhouse-grown or dried commercial versions, for their ability to interfere with a diabetes-related enzyme, which is also a target of a prescription drug for the disease.

During the study, they found that greenhouse herbs contained more polyphenols and flavonoids compared to the equivalent commercial herbs.

But this did not affect the concentration required to inhibit the enzyme.

Commercial extracts of Greek oregano, Mexican oregano and rosemary were better inhibitors of the enzyme, required to reduce risk of type-2 diabetes, than greenhouse-grown herbs.

The study appeared in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a publication of American Chemical Society.