Eating two servings of fruit a day reduces your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 36 percent, researchers say.
However, the Australian research team said they didn’t see the same pattern emerge in those who drank two servings of fruit juice a day.
Study author Dr. Nicola Bondonno, of the Nutritional Research Institute at Edith Cowan University in Perth, said, “We found that people who ate about two servings of fruit a day had a 36 percent lower risk of type 2 diabetes over the next five years to become ill than those who consumed less than half a serving of fruit per day.
“We didn’t see the same patterns with fruit juices. These results show that a healthy diet and lifestyle that includes whole fruit consumption is a great strategy to reduce your risk of diabetes. “
The study involved examining data from more than 7,600 people who had previously signed up for the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute’s Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study.
The volunteers used a questionnaire to provide information on their consumption of fruit and fruit drinks.
They found that five years later, people who reported eating more whole fruits had a 36 percent reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who didn’t.
The researchers believe this is because there is a link between fruit consumption and insulin sensitivity. So that means that those who consumed more fruit needed to produce less insulin in order to lower their blood sugar levels.
Dr. Bondonno said, “This is important because high levels of circulating insulin (hyperinsulinemia) can damage blood vessels and are related not only to diabetes but also to high blood pressure, obesity and heart disease,” said Bondonno.
The study was published in the Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
