Our country is becoming more and more concerned with Type II diabetes, particularly as the rate of obesity climbs. We need to be concerned with ways to prevent diabetes in both our adults and in children. We know that weight maintenance, diet and exercise are critical to preventing diabetes, but research is showing that there may be other things we can do to prevent diabetes, too.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin, the hormone that converts sugar and other food into energy. The most common type of diabetes seen today is Type II, where insulin is produced (though sometimes not in a high enough quantity), but is not used properly, resulting in a high level of blood glucose in the body. Type I diabetes is diagnosed in childhood, and results from an inability to produce insulin.

Doctors are not entirely sure of the cause of diabetes, but we do know that people who are obese and who do not get regular exercise are at a much greater risk of developing Type II diabetes than those who exercise and maintain a healthy weight.

Today, there are about 20.8 million people in the US with diabetes, and nearly one third of them don't even know they have the disease. In addition, about 54 million people in the US are pre-diabetic, meaning their blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed with diabetes. Complications from diabetes include blindness, cataracts, kidney problems, heart disease, stroke, nerve damage and foot and skin problems.

In addition to losing weight and getting regular exercise, it appears that drinking green tea may also help prevent diabetes and its complications. One study, conducted by the University of Scranton conducted studies on diabetic mice to determine the effects of tea on blood sugar levels. They fed them green and black tea for a period of three months before beginning to evaluate them.

The rats were fed the equivalent of less than 5 cups per day to humans. The study found that both green and black tea decreased blood glucose levels over those of the mice who were not fed tea. These decreased glucose levels had the power to also reduce the complications of diabetes affecting the mice.

For example, the mice that were fed tea were far less likely to have begun to form cataracts, a common complication of diabetes, over the mice that were not fed tea.

This is promising news for those at risk of developing Type II diabetes. Of course, if you're overweight or inactive, it's still critical that you get moving and lose the excess pounds. Maintaining a normal weight and exercising regularly are the two most important steps you can take to preventing diabetes.

But, if drinking tea can help you win the fight, it's certainly a simple step to take. And, this particular study did not show a difference between drinking green tea and black tea.

In recent years, most of the medical research done on tea has focused on green tea, and it has been widely assumed that green tea provides more health benefits than black tea.

This assumption has been made because green tea retains more of its natural anti-oxidants than black tea. Black tea is fermented when it is processed; green tea is not. During this processing, some of the anti-oxidants, namely EGCG are nearly destroyed.

Because EGCG is though to be one of the most important anti-oxidants in tea, it has been thought that green tea is far more beneficial than black tea. However, this does not appear to be the case when it comes to preventing Type II diabetes and its complications. It appears that either type of tea is able to regulate blood sugar naturally. This is certainly good news for those who prefer black tea over green.

If you're concerned about your blood sugar levels, see your doctor. He'll help you to begin a diet that will help your body be more able to regulate its insulin level. He'll also help you to map out an exercise program that can help you lose weight - but also one that can help you burn carbohydrates more efficiently right away, helping to regulate your blood sugar immediately.

And, while you're visiting with your doctor, be sure to talk to him about drinking tea. Tea has no known side effects, and is well tolerated by almost everyone. It even has lower caffeine content than coffee and soda. So, there should be no reason why you can't use tea as part of your plan to get your blood sugar level under control and prevent diabetes.

Your health is important - and diabetes can be a significant concern. So, take a look at the steps you need to take to prevent diabetes before it ruins your health.