Health
Blueberries, pears and apples are the best foods for those who want to protect themselves from type 2 diabetes, say American researchers. The miraculous properties of blueberries, pears and apples are due to the fact that these fruits contain large amounts of flavonoids that have a beneficial effect on human health. Previous studies have shown that a diet rich in flavonoids contributes to normal blood pressure and reduces the risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
In a large-scale study by the US National Institutes of Health, scientists monitored the eating habits and health status of about 200,000 men and women in for 24 years. Each of the study participants regularly filled out questionnaires in which they indicated what foods and how much they consumed. None of the volunteers had diabetes, however, during the study, 12,600 people were diagnosed with diabetes mellitus.
Participants in the experiment who ate the least blueberries consumed no more than one serving of blueberries per month. Volunteers who ate the most blueberries ate at least two servings of blueberries a week.
A team of scientists led by An Pan found that blueberry lovers were 23 percent less likely to develop diabetes than those who ate low amounts of this berry. They also found that people who ate at least 5 apples a week had a 23 percent lower risk of diabetes than those who rarely ate apples. Similar results were obtained among pear lovers.
Scientists suggest that it's all about flavonoids, which are found in particularly large quantities in blueberries, apples and pears.
According to the American Diabetes Association, about 26 million Americans have diabetes. This disease is caused by the body's inability to produce or properly use insulin, a hormone that converts glucose into energy. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is an incurable disease, however, the patient's condition can be successfully controlled through diet and exercise, without insulin injections.