Mankai, a small, nutrient-packed duckweed, has a significant impact on the blood sugar level of Type 2 diabetics, according to a new study. Researchers from Harvard University and Israeli universities conducted the study at two locations in Israel and observed the effects of Mankai, a type of aquatic plant that floats in large quantities in water, forming an apparent layer of green on the water’s surface. Blood sugar after meals is a critical measure for management of diabetes.
Forty diabetic patients were split into two groups, one of which would drink a blend of raw Mankai and water after dinner. The other group would drink a glass of water. Each group followed this routine for two weeks.
Then, the groups switched drinks, so each group had two weeks of the Mankai drink and two weeks of water. All of the participants were diabetic patients, with a median age of 65 years. On days when the participants drank the Mankai, they had a 20 percent reduction in post-meal blood sugar levels and a faster return to their levels prior to their dinners.
About two-thirds of the participants experienced this improvement. The blood sugar levels after eating is an important health indicator. If the level is regularly high, there is a higher risk of adverse health conditions, including stroke and heart disease.
Iris Shai, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at BGU and Harvard, told The Epoch Times that the plant’s ability to reduce blood sugar levels is probably due to many factors, in.