Diabetes: The red drink that ‘significantly’ lowers blood sugar within hours of intake

Type 2 diabetes can be a 'devastating diagnosis' says expert

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Rates of type 2 diabetes – the most common form of diabetes – are growing at full tilt. In fact, recent figures suggest almost one in 10 people in the UK will be afflicted by 2030. Fortunately, the condition is preventable, and blood glucose control is equally as important for preventing the disease as it is for managing it. One drink when added to your diet could lower blood glucose levels significantly, within the space of a few hours.

Rates of type 2 diabetes are growing to pandemic proportions, owing partly to substantial growth in obesity cases.

The condition is understood as a lifelong and progressive condition, which may be reversible with adequate weight loss.

Avoiding the condition boils down mainly to weight management and food intake.

In fact, a recent study revealed that simply being fit may not be as important as maintaining a healthy weight when it comes to diabetes prevention.

READ MORE: Type 2 diabetes: Herb to reduce absorption of carbohydrates and sugar to lower blood sugar

High-glycemic products are best avoided in diabetes prevention, but other foods are now coming to the fore for their potent lowering effects on blood sugar levels, which could help slash the risk of diabetes.

Research published in the journal Food and Function investigated the effects of strawberry intake on blood glucose levels.

The researchers asked 14 overweight participants to consume a strawberry drink at three separate intervals.

Subjects ingested the beverages two hours before a meal, with a meal and two after a meal.

The results revealed that those who consumed the strawberry beverages two hours before the meal had significantly lower blood glucose levels over a 10-hour period, compared to those who drank the beverage alongside their meal.

The researchers suggested the fruit may work by improving insulin signal, moving glucose out of the bloodstream and into cells where it’s converted into energy.

The authors wrote: “Strawberries, rich in anthocyanin, attenuate meal induced postprandial increases in inflammation and oxidative stress as well as improved post-meal insulin responses.

“This study provides data suggesting that strawberries have a role in glycemic control and attenuating the pro-inflammatory effect of a modern diet.

“There may be particular advantages when strawberries are consumed before the meal.”

Further findings Women’s Health Study reaffirmed these anti-diabetic effects, showing that women who never ate strawberries had a 10 percent higher risk of developing diabetes, compared to those who did.

Strawberries provide large amounts of essential nutrients, including a unique set of antioxidants known as anthocyanin.

These antioxidants, which give fruits their pigmentation, have been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

One body of research published in the journal Nutrients in 2019 suggested the molecules reduced inflammation, oxidative stress and insulin resistance, three major risk factors for the condition.

Other measures to lower blood sugar levels include exercise, which stabilises blood glucose for periods of up to 48 hours.

Finally, opting for water, tea and coffee, instead of sugary drinks will help avoid unwanted sugar spikes.

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