Research shows that blueberries are a top fruit in cutting the risk of type 2 diabetes. Not all fruits have this effect on our health according to a study done in 2013.
Fruits are usually lumped together, but they differ in healthy components such as fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals (plant chemicals). Researchers evaluated data from 187,382 participants that were part of three prospective cohort studies in the United States. The subjects did not have diabetes when the studies were started. When subjects consumed 3 servings per week of whole blueberries (not fruit juice) compared to less than 1 serving per month, their risk of developing diabetes was reduced by 24-40 percent. Wow!
It is interesting to see that the glycemic index of the different fruits studied did not appear to be the deciding factor on which fruits consumed lowered the incidence of diabetes. Blueberries were the top fruit that cut risk. Other fruits that decreased risk included whole grapes and apples (again not juice). The authors recommended consuming whole fruits including blueberries to help with diabetes prevention. To help prevent diabetes use fruit juice sparingly. In this research study, consuming at least one serving of fruit juice daily increased the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much as 21 percent. (1,2,3)
3 Health facts about Blueberries
According to the American Diabetes Association, one fruit exchange for blueberries is equal to ¾ cup of raw blueberries. (4) Three-fourths of a cup contains 63 calories, 0.82 grams protein and 16.08 grams carbohydrate. It is a great source of fiber with 2.7 grams. For other nutrition facts about blueberries,
Many people are concerned about losing memory function as they grow older. Research has shown eating blueberries helps to improve memory function and slow cognitive decline.
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