TUESDAY MARCH 4, 2008 (Foodconsumer.org) -- Compounds found in black tea may mimic insulin and be able to help protect against diabetes, suggests a new study conducted by researchers from Scotland and published in the journal aging Cell.

The study showed theaflavins and thearubigins in black tea mimic the effect of insulin signaling to FOXO1a and PEPCK, key downstream effectors of cellular insulin/longevity signaling.

Early studies have showed black tea may offer a range of health benefits including lower risk of certain cancers, weight management, and protection against Alzheimer's.

"In some studies, black tea consumption has been associated with a lower incidence of heart disease and cancer, but the mechanisms are far from clear," Amy Cameron at the University of Dundee and colleagues wrote.

In the current study, the researchers examined the effect of compounds in black compounds on FOXO1a, which is involved in regulating the rate of aging in response to dietary factors and PEPCK or phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in the hepatoma HL1c cell line.

The researchers identified three tea theaflavins, namely theaflavin 3'-O-gallate, theaflavin 3,3'-di-O-gallate and thearubigins that have insulin--like effects.