These Can Help Prevent Type II Diabetes
When it comes to preventing type II diabetes, recently published research indicates that one important change we can make is to increase our flavonoid intake. Two large studies, one involving 2,915 subjects and another involving 340,234 participants, have found that long-term flavonoid intake was inversely associated with type II diabetes risk. Both studies found that two flavonoid subclasses—flavonols and flavanals—were associated with reduced risk of developing type II diabetes.New research indicates dietary flavonoids may protect against insulin resistance and inflammation, two hallmarks of type II diabetes. Researchers from the Norwich Medical School at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK, examined associations between insulin resistance and inflammatory biomarkers and intakes of total flavonoids and their subclasses. Measures assessed included fasting serum glucose, insulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and adiponectin levels.
In multivariable analyses, higher intakes of anthocyanins and flavones were associated with significantly reduced peripheral insulin resistance. Higher anthocyanin intake was also associated with lower concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, a marker for inflammation. Subjects with the highest flavone intake also had improved concentrations of adiponectin, a protein involved in regulating glucose levels. The study authors concluded that “higher intakes of both anthocyanins and flavones were associated with improvements in insulin resistance and hs-CRP.”
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