People who eat more fresh fruit are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, a new study has found. The study found that those who eat two servings of fruit daily cut their risk by more than a third.
Researchers from the Edith Cowan University's Institute for Nutrition Research in Perth, Australia, discovered that those who consume two servings of fruit daily cut their risk of being diagnosed with the condition by 36 per cent, compared to those who eat less than half a helping.
More than 370 million people worldwide are thought to be at risk of developing the chronic condition, which leads to sufferers struggling to regulate their blood sugar levels.
The researchers analysed data from 7,675 participants, who provided information on their fruit and fruit juice intake through a questionnaire.
They found that those who ate more fresh fruit's odds of having diabetes within five years was cut by more than a third.
This was because people who ate more fruit produced less insulin to lower their glucose levels. However, there was no link between drinking fruit juice and a lower risk of developing diabetes.
"We found people who consumed around two servings of fruit per day had a 36 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes over the next five years than those who consumed less than half a serving of fruit per day," study author Nicola Bondonno explained.
"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," she added.
(Cover Media/Reuters)