Almond Leaves Don't Help Diabetes

Misbar has discovered that plants have long been used for medicinal purposes. For example, one of the key ingredients in aspirin originally came from willow bark, which has been used for centuries around the world. 

The almond tree (Prunus dulcis) is a tree native to southeastern asia according to Britannica.com. Its edible seed is an important crop with California producing more than 80 percent of the world’s supply. The seed of the almond tree, what is commonly called the almond, is known to be nutritious, but not directly improve diabetes. The almond is rich in vitamin E, monounsaturated fats, calcium, and magnesium just to name a few of the seed’s benefits. 

There is another type of almond tree, known as the Indian almond tree or tropical almond tree (Terminalia catappa). Leaves from this tree have been shown to improve stomach conditions such as stomach ulcers in animals according to the Journal of Ethnopharmacology. Research has also been conducted using Terminalia catappa leaves on diabetic rats. Two different compounds of the leaf extract were used and it was found that the extract did improve diabetic parameters. However, this research has yet to be conducted on humans. 

While using plants for medicine is not a new idea, and the extract from the Indian almond tree is showing promise for the future, there is not enough research to support taking liquid from almond tree leaves to help diabetes.