Does Drinking Boiled Guava Leaves Cure Diabetes?
A claim on TikTok states that drinking boiled guava leaves cures diabetes, and this has attracted the attention of many viewers. Originally posted on April 19, 2025, the video has an image of a guava plant and fruit, with a background song and a voiceover with the caption, “You are diabetic? Boil guava leaves and drink 100ml 3x daily.”
As of when this report was published, the post had over 1.2 million views, about 1,550, over 61,000 likes, about 16,000 bookmarks and over 21,600 shares.
VERIFICATION
While guava leaves have shown potential health benefits in laboratory and some clinical studies, there is no scientific evidence that drinking boiled guava leaf tea cures diabetes. The leaves contain compounds like quercetin, catechins, and other polyphenols that may help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce post-meal blood glucose spikes.
Guava leaf extract has shown promise in lowering blood sugar levels in some studies. Several cell culture and animal studies, including those from 2020 and 2022, found that guava leaf extract improved blood sugar levels, long-term blood sugar control, and insulin resistance. This can benefit people with diabetes or those at risk of the disease. Similar responses have been recorded in studies on people. Other benefits derived from this extract include aiding weight loss, having anti-cancer effects and booting the immune system amongst others. Research has shown that guava leaf extract may help regulate blood sugar levels, but it is not a substitute for medical care as opined by medical experts.
Experts Lend Their Voice
Dr Filibus Otobo, with the Federal Medical Center, FMC, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state, said that “diabetes is a chronic condition that requires long-term management that includes one’s diet, exercise, medication, and regular monitoring. It has no cure, forget all these herb things, it does not cure anything.”
Otobo added that, “Drinking boiled guava leaves may only have minor blood sugar-lowering effects, due to the chemical constituents in the leaves, but does not cure diabetes.” He advised that, “any diabetic patient should always consult a healthcare professional before using any herbal remedy for managing a chronic condition.”
In the same vein, Dr. Etido Akwaowo, a lecturer in the department of Botany, University of Calabar, affirmed that “currently, diabetes does not have a cure, but it can be managed effectively with the right treatment and lifestyle changes.”
Etido added that “guava leaf extract may help regulate blood sugar levels when used alongside conventional treatments, but it is not a substitute for medical care.” She further said that “scientists are working on immunotherapies, gene editing (like CRISPR), and artificial pancreas systems that could one day change the game.”
CONCLUSION
The claim that drinking boiled guava leaves cures diabetes is UNPROVEN. Although there might be a short term reduction in blood sugar level, drinking boiled guava leaves does not cure diabetes as it does not have a cure for now and can only be managed medically.
