Effects of Raspberry Leaf Tea Polyphenols on Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Responses in Healthy Adults.

Background

Dietary polyphenols, particularly flavonoids, have been associated with improved glycemic control and reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Raspberry leaf (RL) is a rich but underexplored source of such bioactives, including ellagitannins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. While raspberry fruit has received some attention in nutritional science, the metabolic effects of raspberry leaf-especially its influence on postprandial glucose and insulin responses-remain largely unstudied.

Objective

This study is the first to investigate the acute effects of RL tea consumption on postprandial blood glucose and insulin levels in healthy individuals following intake of common dietary carbohydrates (sucrose and glucose).

Methods

In a randomized crossover study, 22 healthy adults (12 males, 10 females) consumed 50 g of glucose or sucrose with or without 10 g of RL tea in four separate sessions. Blood glucose and insulin levels were measured at fasting and at 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min post-ingestion. A total of 37 polyphenolic compounds were identified in the RL infusion using LC-MS, following a 5-minute hot water extraction. The contents of ellagitannins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids were 38 mg, 7 mg, and 4 mg per 10 g of RL, respectively, contributing to a total polyphenol content of 50 mg per 10 g.

Results

When RL tea was consumed with sucrose, postprandial blood glucose levels were significantly reduced at 15 and 30 min by 1.19 ± 0.88 mmol/L (25.59% reduction, p = 0.001) and 2.03 ± 1.05 mmol/L (43.57% reduction, p = 0.0004), respectively. Insulin concentrations were also significantly lower at 15 min (113.90 ± 59.58 pmol/L, p = 0.019), 30 min (161.76 ± 91.96 pmol/L, p = 0.0008), and 60 min (139.44 ± 75.96 pmol/L, p = 0.025). No significant differences were observed with glucose ingestion.

Conclusions

This study provides the first clinical evidence that RL tea can blunt early postprandial glycemic and insulinemic responses to sucrose in healthy individuals. The data suggest that these effects are likely mediated by relatively low levels of polyphenols-particularly ellagic acid-through inhibition of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes such as α-glucosidase and β-fructofuranosidase. These findings support the potential of RL tea as a simple, dietary approach to modulate glucose metabolism and warrant further investigation in populations at risk for metabolic disorders.