Blueberries show anti-diabetic potential: Study
By Stephen Daniells
A daily smoothie containing bioactive ingredients from blueberry increased sensitivity to insulin, and may reduce the risk of developing diabetes in at-risk people, says a new study.
Obese, non-diabetic, and insulin-resistant participants who consumed a blueberry smoothie daily for six weeks experienced a 22 percent change in insulin sensitivity, compared to only 4.9 percent in the placebo group, state findings published in the Journal of Nutrition.
“To our knowledge, this is the first reported human study that evaluated the effect of daily dietary supplementation with bioactives in blueberries on whole-body insulin sensitivity in obese, non-diabetic, and insulin-resistant men and women,” wrote the researchers, led by Professor William Cefalu at the Center for the Study of Botanicals and Metabolic Syndrome, Louisiana State University System.
Source: Journal of Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.3945/jn.110.125336
“Bioactives in Blueberries Improve Insulin Sensitivity in Obese, Insulin-Resistant Men and Women”
Authors: A.J. Stull, K.C. Cash, W.D. Johnson, C.M. Champagne, W.T. Cefalu
