It’s well documented that most herbs are good for us.But a new study has found that, when it comes to lowering our blood sugar, rosemary and oregano stand out from the rest. In fact, lab tests show they could work in the same way as prescription anti-diabetic medication.In a new study published in ACS’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, scientists found that greenhouse-grown rosemary and oregano were potent inhibitors of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV, a diabetes-related enzyme that’s also the target of the prescription drug for the disease.What’s more, greenhouse-grown versions of these herbs contain more polyphenols and flavonoids—the substances suspected to be diabetes-protective—than the equivalent commercial herbs.
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Lead researcher Elvira Gonzalez de Mejia and colleagues note that these herbs could provide a natural way to help lower glucose in blood, though more studies are needed to understand the role of these compounds in reducing the risk of type-2 diabetes in humans.But, the key takeaway for us beauty buffs is that rosemary and oregano help lower blood sugar. Sweets that spike blood sugar are a key cause of inflammation in our bodies. Inflammation is a big buzz word in both health and beauty. The catch-all term has many faces and causes, but this Bag Bad Wolf is (at least partially) responsible for everything from arthritis symptoms to heart disease to skin wrinkles.In short: The lower we can keep the added sugar level in our blood, the better our skin will look over time.So bring on the herbs!MORE: Inflammation Is Skin Enemy No. 1
