The study was observational, so there’s no direct explanation as to why this significant difference in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes risk exists, though researchers suggest it may be caused by the bioactive compounds in dark tea directly or indirectly influencing glucose secretion in the kidneys. More research is needed to confirm the findings in other populations as well.

To be clear, the findings were most significant for daily dark tea drinkers, so there’s no saying an occasional beverage would have much of an impact.

As mentioned above, Pu’erh is somewhat popular in the United States but may run a bit more expensive than other types of tea given the complex fermentation and manufacturing process. A couple options include the Mountain Rose Herbs Pu’Erh Tea and Jinglong Tea Factory Pu’Erh Tea–both of which provide fermented leaves right from the Yunnan province in China, where Pu’erh is a delicacy. You can also find Pu’erh tea at local herb stores, tea shops, and plenty of grocery stores.

This research provides a great reason to start a daily tea ritual with a brew you enjoy (especially if it replaces sweet drinks that spike blood sugar). But of course, watching your beverages is just one way to prevent blood sugar spikes and crashes. Here are a few more strategies for keeping blood sugar balanced daily.