Diabetes Risk Tastily Lowered by Blueberries, Apples [Study]

Type 2 diabetes is one of the larger health concerns faced by Americans today, and more than 95% cases of diabetes are considered Type 2.

Unlike type 1 diabetes- often called juvenile diabetes- type 2 is more heavily correlated with lifestyle factors like diet, activity level and whether or not a person is obese. And it seems that each week, new studies pinpoint more specific lifestyle factors such as dietary habits that seem to make one more or less likely to develop the condition.

Last week, a study was released that linked consumption of white rice with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, even in countries like China and Japan where diet-related health issues are often presumed to be less prevalent. This week, a study out of the Harvard School of Public Health examines foods that are linked with better outcomes and lower rates of the condition among frequent consumers, highlighting the superfood blueberries and humble apples in the research.

Harvard School of Public Health research fellow An Pan commented on apple and blueberry consumption and the study’s findings, saying:

“People who ate a higher amount of blueberries or apples, they tended to have a low risk of type 2 diabetes… We found consistent results across the three (study groups) that apples and blueberries are beneficial for type 2 diabetes.”

Researchers credit fiber as part of the equation and surmise that the essential material is why juice doesn’t confer the same benefits. NYU professor Dr. Loren Greene commented to Reuters Health that the study’s findings “[argue] very nicely for the consumption of whole fruits rather than fruit juices.”