More than 25 million people in the United States suffer from diabetes, and doctors estimate there are tens of millions more who are borderline diabetic.
If you are diabetic or have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, there’s hope — diabetes is one of the few major diseases that is not only reversible, but also 100% preventable with proper diet and exercise.
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that disrupts the body’s production of insulin, affecting how we process our main source of fuel: glucose. Approximately 90% of all diabetics are type 2. This high percentage is very probably linked to the most common trait among diagnosed cases: obesity.
Diabetes: A Growing Epidemic
Food scientist Luis Cisneros-Zevallos and colleagues from Texas AgriLife Research conducted a study that demonstrated that compounds found in stone fruits, such as peaches and plums, may help protect against metabolic syndrome, in which inflammation and obesity trigger chronic diseases and other health problems.
Cisneros-Zevallos stated, “In recent years obesity has become a major concern in society due to the health problems associated with it. In the U.S., statistics show that around 30% of the population is overweight or obese, and these cases are increasing every year in alarming numbers.”
Explaining the team’s results, he added, “Our work indicates that phenolic compounds present in these fruits have anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic properties in different cell lines and may also reduce the oxidation of bad cholesterol LDL which is associated with cardiovascular disease.” Cisneros-Zevallos and his group also noted that stone fruits provided a defense against breast cancer and a significant boost to the immune system.
How Fruit and Diabetes Go Together To Help Reduce Diabetes
Stone fruits such as peaches, plums and nectarines have been found to contain a bio-active compound that can effectively fight type 2 diabetes.
What makes these fruits work so effectively are the unique chemical compounds that eradicate the different components of the disease.
Phenols found in stone fruits have a proven positive effect on metabolic syndromes such as elevated blood sugar, high cholesterol and hypertension.
When blood sugar and cholesterol levels are stable and hypertension under control, your chances of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease are drastically decreased.
Fruit and Diabetes- Fighting Compounds in Stone Fruits
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1) Anthocyanins – color fruits and vegetables with a reddish-based pigment. These compounds increase your body’s production of insulin.
2) Clorogenic Acids – the main acid found in coffee, tomatoes and carrots. They regulate blood sugar levels.
3) Quercetin – provides bright color to fruits and vegetables. Possibly lowers build-up of sorbitol in your kidneys, nerves and eyes.
4) Catechins – the primary compound in black, red and green tea. Encourage a healthy weight, maintain blood sugar levels, and lower cardiovascular risk.
These antioxidant-rich compounds have been proven beneficial individually, but together they create substantial possibilities for long-term diabetes control.
By regulating blood sugar, increasing insulin production, maintaining healthy weight, and helping to prevent diabetic damage to cells, they safely and naturally prevent and reverse this metabolic disease.
Fight Diabetes with Fruits Rich in Phenols:
- Nectarines
- Peaches
- Plums
- Cherries
- Red Grapes
- Berries
- Apples (Granny Smith and Fuji specifically)
Poor nutrition, lack of sleep and irregular physical activity are the primary instigators of obesity. Obesity leads to metabolic syndrome…and metabolic syndrome leads to diabetes and heart disease.
Don’t let diabetes win. It is preventable and reversible. Start fighting back…one piece of fruit at a time.