We know that it is important to ensure at least five helpings of fruit and vegetables a day to reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease, stroke, and some cancers. But now there is evidence to suggest some foods can reduce your risk of developing diabetes too. And it is not just fruit and vegetables which are important.

A French study looking into diet and risk of developing type 2 diabetes in women suggests that by including dark chocolate, tea, walnuts, prunes and blueberries in a diet, one can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (Diabetologia doi:10.1007/s00125-017-4489-7)². These foods are all high in antioxidant vitamins.

Antioxidants are important for helping to counteract oxygen free radicals in our bodies. These oxygen free radicals are a by-product of energy production in our bodies tissues and organs.

Some of these oxygen free radicals are good because they help to kill bacteria, viruses and damaged cells but in larger quantities can be disruptive¹. They can damage DNA and proteins which are important building blocks for tissue repair and regeneration.

By consuming larger quantities of foods containing antioxidants we can help to support our bodies to mop up excess free radicals before they cause damage. In the case of the findings of the French study, it may be that the high intake of antioxidant vitamins from prunes, dark chocolate, tea, walnuts and blueberries helps to stop or slow down the damage caused to our pancreas. It is the pancreas that produces the hormones we need to help regulate our blood sugars. When our pancreas is no longer able to regulate our blood sugars, we develop diabetes. These foods too are also considered healthy in that they are of low glycemic index which means they do not trigger an elevation in our blood sugars to the degree that some other foods do. And by including more of these, we are less likely to consume foods with a higher glycemic index. These are possible theories to explain the findings but whatever the science behind the finding, there is now more evidence that these foods are protective and these are likely to extend beyond protection against heart disease, stroke and cancer but also help protect against developing diabetes.

I will certainly consider swapping some of my less desirable food choices for some of these and feel a little less guilty about having a bit of dark chocolate with a cup of tea on occasion.

Dr. Sarah Carrod
MBBS BSc MRCS MRCGP DCH SRH MSc
General Practitioner

References:
1. Kuhn MA. An Overview of how antioxidants protect the body from disease. American Journal of Nursing 2003 Apr; 103(4): 58-62
2. BMJ 2017;359:j5336 ‘Antioxidant and type 2 diabetes’