DRWF Events: Refreshing, healthy and sugar-free – benefits of herbal tea

DRWF interviews from United Through Diabetes: Marion Mackonochie, Herbal Research Manager at Lipton Teas and Infusions/Pukka Herbs. Pukka Herbs were Hospitality Sponsor at DRWF United Through Diabetes.

At UTD, Marion presented on the Pukka-produced Rainbow Paper, focused on increasing awareness about the potential for culinary herbs and spices to improve diets and wellbeing. For more information visit here.

Marion introduced the company and how herbal teas can benefit people living with type 2 diabetes in their management of the condition: “Pukka Herbs is a herbal tea company. We were set up in 2001 by a herbalist and a businessman who had a desire to do good in the world. They wanted to create a brand that would offer positivity and help people to discover the health benefits of herbs and spices.

“Herbal teas are an ideal drink for people with diabetes because they are naturally sugar-free. You get a tasty beverage that is refreshing and hydrating without adding any extra sugar. There is also research to show that the polyphenol content of herbal teas may be helpful for evening out blood glucose levels for people living with type 2 diabetes, for example.”

Top teas for autumn wellbeing

“For autumn wellbeing, I would automatically go for a lemon, ginger and manuka honey, which is based on the traditional mother's remedy for coughs and colds and seasonal wellness. We also have a lovely blend called elderberry and echinacea, which contains elderberry and echinacea, herbs traditionally used to support the immune system and seasonal wellness.”

Essential winter teas

“I love teas that enhance circulation and make you feel a little bit warmer. I would turn to three ginger tea. It is really great for digestion. There is lots of research to show the benefits of free ginger after a meal. It is also really fiery and energising to help wake you up and make you feel a bit more energised in a mid-afternoon slump, for example.

Or other teas that contain cinnamon, for example. We have a wild apple and cinnamon which is a really nice warming blend.”

Three mint tea for daily routine

“Mint is traditionally used in herbal medicine to help support digestion. We recommend people to drink it after a meal to help ease feeling bloated. It is also a really refreshing flavour. We also have quite a lot of people who report finding it a very relaxing blend to drink in the evening, so some people choose to drink it before bed.”

Something without caffeine?

“One of our newest blends is Morning Berry, which is a really lovely, caffeine-free berry flavoured tea that was designed to be drunk first thing in the morning to give you a natural burst of energy without the caffeine.”

What ingredients are there working together to support sleep?

“The nighttime is a blend with a traditional sleep remedy herbs such as chamomile, lavender, and valerian. It has got quite a lot of oat flowers in it, which has a relaxing effect on the nervous system.

“Chamomile is a herb that has been traditionally used to help support sleep. It has flavonoids in it, which have a calming effect on the nervous system. It is another herb that is good for digestion. If digestive problems are keeping you awake, then chamomile can help with that.”

Thank you for listening to this Living With Diabetes special podcast report from United Through Diabetes 2024, presented by Claire Levy and brought to you by DRWF.

Visit the DRWF United Through Diabetes Digital Hub for more information and resources from the day

Listen to our interviews with key speakers and sponsors on our audio interviews page

For news on all upcoming DRWF events please visit the event page