White Mulberry Leaf
Morus alba
also known as mulberry leaf
Moderate (blood sugar)
Leaves from the same tree whose fruit feeds silkworms, used in traditional Chinese medicine for over a thousand years. Modern research focuses on a specific compound in the leaf that blocks the digestion of carbohydrates — making white mulberry leaf one of the better-studied herbs for blood sugar after meals.
- Reduces the blood sugar spike after carbohydrate-rich meals
- Contains a compound (1-deoxynojirimycin, DNJ) that blocks the same enzyme targeted by acarbose, a prescription diabetes medication
- May modestly lower fasting blood sugar with consistent use
- May modestly lower cholesterol
- Most effective when taken just before meals containing starch or sugar
- Long traditional Chinese medicine use as a 'cooling' herb for diabetes-related thirst and sugar imbalance
Use caution with diabetes medication — additive blood sugar lowering
Can cause mild digestive upset, gas, or diarrhea — especially when first starting
Stop two weeks before surgery
Skip during pregnancy and nursing — limited safety data
Best paired with diet and lifestyle changes for blood sugar management — works as part of a bigger picture
Related literature · not reviewed for these claims
These papers were imported by topic. They may concern plants, laboratory work, or different preparations. Inclusion here does not establish a human health benefit or support the claims above. How to read our sources →
- Leaf electrophysiological readouts reveal bicarbonate-associated shifts in early water-deficit response modes in Broussonetia papyrifera and Morus alba.
- MaMYB12 and MaMYB308 antagonistically regulate flavonoid biosynthesis in mulberry (Morus alba): Implications for functional food ingredient development.
- Inhibitory potential of Morus alba leaf extract and its phytoconstituent against SARS-CoV-2 main protease: An integrative in silico and in vitro analysis.
- Integrated dual-molecular marker analysis with SSR and UPLC-Q-TOF/MS fingerprints technology reveal the interrelation of the molecule-metabolite in Morus alba L. leaves.
- Genome-wide identification and functional characterization of Isopentenyl Transferase (IPT) genes in mulberry (Morus spp.): Insights into evolutionary diversification and drought-responsive hormonal regulation.
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