Banaba

Banaba is the common name for the plant Lagerstroemia speciosa, a Southeast Asian tree whose leaves are extracted to make banaba tea, drunk as an herbal tea mainly in the Philippines and Japan. The leaf extracts also lower blood sugar, linked to corosolic acid and other compounds, making them useful in traditional diabetes management and as major components in weight-reduction products. Modern supplements standardise extracts for these active compounds, though consumers should treat strong health claims cautiously and choose products from reputable makers with verified composition. As with all botanical ingredients, quality control for identity, purity, and contaminants determines whether the traditional use translates into a safe modern product.