A review of research into green tea extract suggests it may be beneficial for blood glucose control.

People who have trouble controlling their blood glucose levels may benefit from using supplements containing green tea extract, a large new review has concluded.

Scientists at the Chongqing Medical Nutrition Research Centre in China searched through medical literature and identified 17 randomised controlled trials to include in their analysis.

The studies, involving more than 1,100 people, had all looked at the effect of green tea consumption on blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity - a measure of how sensitive the body is to the effects of the hormone insulin.

Combined data from these 17 trials revealed that green tea consumption - in either beverage or food supplement form - was associated with significant reductions in fasting glucose and haemoglobin A1c concentrations.

Haemoglobin A1c is a marker of the long-term presence of excess glucose in the blood.

Further analysis confirmed that green tea consumption was also associated with reduced fasting insulin concentrations.

Publishing their findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the study authors concluded that green tea "had favourable effects, i.e. decreased fasting glucose and haemoglobin A1c concentrations" and a "significant reduction in fasting insulin concentrations".

The beneficial component in green tea extract is thought to be epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is a polyphenol compound found in fresh tealeaves.

However, green tea extract is just one of a number of natural extracts that are thought to be beneficial for blood glucose control.

Examples include grape seed extract and alpha lipoic acid which, together with green tea extract, are both found in a high-quality antioxidant food supplement called AlphaGuard Plus, which is supplied by Really Healthy.

Just as the body benefits from a wide range of foods to guarantee the full spectrum of required nutrients, the most valuable antioxidant supplements are those that provide a number of different extracts.

AlphaGuard Plus does just that, with its broad array of antioxidant nutrients and complexes giving people an entirely natural way to help ward off age-related conditions.