According to the Latin poet Horace, circa 35 B.C., “A man will pass his summers in health, who will finish his luncheon with black mulberries.” Mulberry plants have been used in folk medicine for centuries and are being studied as a possible weapon against diabetes.
Extract
Mulberries are edible but are less tasty than the other summer berries, according to Life-enhancement.com. Mulberry extract is made from the leaves of the mulberry plant.
Uses
For centuries, Chinese herbal medicine has recommended consuming mulberry leaves as a way to suppress high blood sugar levels after meals high in carbohydrates.
Culprit
When blood sugar levels spike, the body produces extra insulin. Over time, the pancreas’s ability to produce insulin may become impaired or the body may become insulin resistant. This can result in Type 2 diabetes.
Research
Research conducted in Japan has suggested that mulberry extract might be useful in preventing human diabetes by controlling blood glucose changes after meals.
Food
The Mulberry leaf is the preferred food of silk worms.