Nicky Blackburn
November 20, 2006, Updated September 13, 2012

There’s nothing like a hot cup of tea on a cold day. Now an Israeli company plans to introduce a herbal tea to the US that isn’t just an enjoyable break, but which it claims can substantially reduce the blood sugar levels of diabetics.

Glucodan tea, which was developed by Nufar Natural Products, is a natural mixture of medicinal herbs for reducing and balancing sugar levels in the blood. The tea reduces sugar and breaks down carbohydrates and fats, which rise to dangerous levels in diabetics after they eat a meal.

The small 15-man company claims the tea, which includes the herbs, stevia, gymnema sylvestris, salvia fruticosa, eucalyptus, and lemon grass, rehabilitates and activates the pancreas causing it to secrete insulin, a hormone which helps the cells absorb glucose from the bloodstream and use it to produce energy, thereby reducing sugar levels in the blood. In addition, says Israel Solodoch, the founder and CEO of Nufar, the tea helps diabetics absorb the insulin into their bodies.

“Drinking Glucodan tea decreases the body’s resistance to insulin,” he explains. “The cells get re-influenced by the insulin, absorb the sugar, disassemble it and as a result stabilize the levels of sugar in the blood.”

There are currently some 20.8 million people suffering diabetes in the US (seven percent of the population), according to figures from the National Diabetes Information Clearing House. Of these 14.6 million have been diagnosed with the illness, while a further 6.2 million are unaware that they have the problem.

Nufar, which began selling Glucodan tea in Israel three years ago, has carried out successful clinical trials on the herbal tea. Patients who have used the tea, drinking between two to three cups a day, claim that their blood sugar levels have fallen dramatically.

Nufar has developed eight herbal teas to treat a variety of medical problems, ranging from high cholesterol to hypertension, heart disease, asthma, urinary infections and obesity. All the herbal brews contain natural ingredients, many of which grow in the hilly region of the Galilee.

The products contain no industrial extracts, preservatives or colorings.

One of the things that makes these medical brews unique, according to Solodoch, is that they contain cranberry and stevia – a plant that is 300 times sweeter than sugar but is not ingested in the body. This makes them naturally sweet and tasty, without the need for any additional sugar or artificial sweeteners. “These are not capsules or food additives, or liquids that you force down with added sugar or artificial sweeteners to make them palatable,” says Solodoch.

“People enjoy the taste of the tea and at the same time treat themselves for whatever condition they are suffering from.”

Solodoch also plans to introduce two other herbal brews to the US market later in the year, Cholesteren, a tea developed to lower cholesterol, and Pressure, which is designed to reduce high blood pressure. The remedies will be sold at health food shops and pharmacies throughout the US.

Nufar was founded in 1995 and began developing a range of natural products for alternative medicine including vitamins and food supplements in tablet and vegetarian capsule form. Today it offers herbal treatments for a wide range of problems including prostrate problems, arthritis, fatigue and weakness, the menopause, hemorrhoids, constipation, influenza, lice, and fungal infections. Formulas are developed and approved by a team of doctors, herbalists and pharmacists. Production is conducted under license of the Israeli Ministry of Health.

In addition, the company has developed a range of aromatic oils for the treatment of a variety of skin problems, and a line of beauty products including face creams.

Nufar has registered patent applications for Glucodan in Israel, the US, and Europe. It is now in negotiations with distributors worldwide.

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