Blueberries and Apples Can Lower Risk of Diabetes
Some researchers have claimed that consuming fruits with a high concentration of flavonoids can provide many health benefits. Their claims have yet to be verified, but their colleagues acknowledge the rationale behind the research. Additional research may find that consuming apples, blueberries and other flavonoid rich fruits can reduce the risk of developing heart disease and cancer.
Flavonoids and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes
A more recent study has found that foods with high levels of flavonoids may also reduce the risk of contracting Type 2 diabetes. This study was funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and has been published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. An Pan was one of the researchers who worked on that study. Pan stated that the study found people who ate blueberries on a regular basis had a 23 percent lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
One of the advantages of the study was that it used a large sample size. Researchers tracked about 200,000 adults over the course of 24 years. The study asked these people to fill out a questionnaire asking them questions about their dietary habits over the course of their life. They asked the participants how many servings of blueberries they received over the course of a month (a serving of blueberries was identified as one cup). Some respondents only had one serving per month, while others had more than 10.
The American Diabetes Association believes that more than 26 million people believed to be suffering from diabetes in the United States alone. About 285 million people are believed to have suffered from diabetes in 2010. This research could be another encouraging finding in the battle against the disease.
However, the study only identified a correlation between the risk of contracting diabetes and the consumption of flavonoids. There are other factors that could play a role and it is unclear whether or not the fruits themselves played a key role in fighting diabetes.
Also, the study only relied on the subjective responses from the survey participants. Researchers couldn’t account for the fallibility of their memories or the potential for biased responses.
Apples and Blueberries Raise Blood Sugar
The study also acknowledged that other factors in high flavonoid foods may counteract the effects of fighting diabetes. Apples and blueberries have are rich in sugar and can quickly raise glucose levels. However, the fibers and other nutrients they contain may reduce the likelihood of developing diabetes.
Additional research will need to be conducted to verify the likelihood that consuming flavonoid rich fruits will reduce the risk of developing diabetes. However, researchers such as Dr. Loren Greene of New York University feel that the findings of this study are very encouraging for medical professionals and patients at risk of contracting the disease.
