FRIDAY, June 4, 2021 (HealthDay News) – Would you like to reduce your risk of diabetes? Eat lots of fruit.
An Australian study suggests that two servings a day could reduce the chances of developing type 2 diabetes by 36%.
“A healthy diet and lifestyle that includes whole fruit consumption is a great strategy to reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” said lead author Nicola Bondonno of the Institute of Nutritional Research at Edith Cowan University in Joondalup, Australia.
Her team analyzed data from nearly 7,700 Australians to assess the association between fruit and fruit juice consumption in diabetes cases over five years.
People who ate at least two servings of fruit a day had higher levels of insulin sensitivity than those who ate less than half a serving a day, according to the results. Insulin sensitivity is key to the body’s ability to use glucose for energy, perform bodily functions and store them for future use.
“We found a link between fruit consumption and markers of insulin sensitivity, suggesting that people who consumed more fruit needed to produce less insulin to lower their blood sugar levels,” Bondonno said in a university press release. “This is important because the insulin level is high [hyperinsulinemia] can damage blood vessels and are linked not only to diabetes but also to high blood pressure, obesity and heart disease. “
The researchers found, however, that drinking fruit juice neither increased insulin sensitivity nor decreased the risk of diabetes. Bondonno said this is likely because juice has a lot more sugar and less fiber.
She said it was unclear how fruit contributes to insulin sensitivity, but there are likely several explanations.
“Fruits rich in vitamins and minerals are great sources of phytochemicals that can increase insulin sensitivity and fiber, which regulate the release of sugar into the blood and help people feel full longer,” said Bondonno.
She found that most fruits typically have a low glycemic index, which means that their sugars are more slowly digested and absorbed by the body.
The study was published June 2 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
More than 450 million people worldwide have type 2 diabetes and another 374 million are at increased risk for the disease.
More information
The US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases is doing more to prevent type 2 diabetes.
SOURCE: Edith Cowan University, press release, June 2, 2021
