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Next time you’re in the grocery store or as you ease back into safely eating out at restaurants, take a look around. If your community matches the average one in America, 1 in every 10 of the people you see has been diagnosed with diabetes, according to thelatest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And 90 to 95% of those people have type 2 diabetes.
Coincidentally, being overweight, having a family history of diabetes and a sedentary lifestyle can increase your risk for type 2. That means extra pounds can happen as a result and contribute to the origin. Talk about a vicious, challenging cycle.
Consistently high blood sugar over an extended period of time can lead to a whole host of health issues, including kidney disease, heart disease and vision loss.
When you think of eating for steady blood sugar to prevent or control diabetes, chances are you think of a minimally-processed,fiber-rich dietthat’s low in added sugars and sodium. With that “low sugar” recommendation, many people automatically lump innatural sugars—such as those found in fruit—along with added sugars (say, the cane sugar in a candy bar or cereal).
But new research just published in theJournal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolismsuggests that those who eat moderate to high amounts of whole fruit on a regular basis actually have lower risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Individuals who consume a fruit-strong diet also have better glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity, two factors also linked to type 2.
To determine this, researchers analyzed data from 7,675 participants involved in theAustralian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Studywhich began in 1999 and had follow-ups in 2004 and 2005 as well as in 2011 and 2012. Using surveys, they tracked how much fruit people ate at each of those three check-in times, which fruits they consumed, plus how much fruit juice they drank. Since this was a long-term study, the scientists were able to see how many of the participants developed type 2 diabetes between the first and final surveys.
“Most fruits typically have a low glycemic load, whilst being rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, all of which may play a contributory role,” the researchers explain.
So whole fruit is actually great for diabetes prevention—in moderation and as part of anoverall healthy, balanced diet, of course. Fruit juice? Not so much, likely because the blood sugar-balancing fiber is removed.
“We did not see the same patterns for fruit juice. These findings indicate that a healthy diet and lifestyle, which includes the consumption of whole fruits, is a great strategy to lower your diabetes risk,” saysNicola Bondonno, Ph.D., one of the study authors who is also an adjunct lecturer at Edith Cowan University’s Institute for Nutrition Research in Perth, Australia.
These results only hint at a correlation between fruit consumption and type 2 diabetes risk, and the authors hope that future research can dive into whether eating whole fruit can actually cause protective effects. Still, it’s sweet news for all of us fruit fans out there that eating our 2-a-day can help keep us healthy in a wide variety of ways. If you struggle to hit the mark, try ourEatingWell dietitian-approved #1 way to eat more fruit.
Already have type 2? Yep, you can totally eat whole fruit, too while keeping your blood sugar in check. Check out the5 best fruits to eat if you have diabetes.
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