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Scientists Show Benefits Of Flavonoid-Rich Diet For Type 2 Diabetics
Mon, 16 Jan 2012
Diets rich in foods containing powerful antioxidants may reduce the risk of heart disease for women with type 2 diabetes, and help get their diabetes under control, according to a new study published in the Diabetes Care journal.

Researchers at the University of East Anglia in the England found that the antioxidants, called flavonoids, work by fighting harmful molecules accumulating in the body which causes damage to healthy cells.

Flavonoids are found in abundance in plant-based foods, with onions, apples, berries, kale, and broccoli having highest concentrations. They are also found in high amounts in tea, berries, chocolate and even red wine .

For their study, the scientists assessed 93 postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes, aged between 51 and 74 years and receiving statin therapy over a 12-month period.

Half of the patients were given two small bars of chocolate each day. The bars contained a high dose of two flavonoid sub-classes: flavan-3-ols, which are found in cocoa and tea, and isoflavones, which are found in soy. The other patients were given standard chocolate bars, acting as a placebo.

Those who received the extra flavonoids reduced their risk of a heart attack by 3.4 per cent. They also showed an improvement in the management of blood sugar levels, with researchers noting a drop in insulin resistance and increase in insulin sensitivity among this patient group.

The scientists said further research is now needed to determine the relative influence of the two flavonoid sub-classes featured in this study, and to examine whether similar effects are achieved in other patient groups.
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