Vitamin C-rich Diet May Slash Diabetes Risk.

 

Studies suggest that greater consumption of fruit and vegetables may decrease the risk of diabetes mellitus, but the evidence is limited and inconclusive. Plasma vitamin C level is a good indicator of fruit and vegetable intake, but, to our knowledge, no prospective studies have examined its association with diabetes risk. This study aims to examine whether fruit and vegetable intake and plasma vitamin C level are associated with the risk of incident type 2 diabetes.

A food frequency questionnaire was given to men and women who were aged 40 to 75 years at baseline (1993-1997). During 12 years of follow-up between February 1993 and the end of December 2005, 735 clinically incident cases of diabetes were identified among 21 831 healthy individuals. The odds ratios of diabetes associated with sex-specific quintiles of fruit and vegetable intake and of plasma vitamin C levels were calculated.

Results showed the greater the plasma vitamin C levels were, the lower the diabetes risk. The odds ratio of diabetes in the top quintile of plasma vitamin C was 38%. In another group, the odds ratio of diabetes in the top quintile of fruit and vegetable consumption was 78%.

Conclusions:  Higher plasma vitamin C level and, to a lesser degree, fruit and vegetable intake were associated with a substantially decreased risk of diabetes. Our findings highlight a potentially important public health message on the benefits of a diet rich in fruit and vegetables for the prevention of diabetes. (1)

How Does a Vitamin C-rich Diet Reduce the Risk?
Fruits and veggies may help ward off or delay the onset of diabetes because of their antioxidant properties. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals (oxidants), toxic particles generated by the metabolism of oxygen. Scientists believe that enhanced oxidative stress seems to play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetes by damaging pancreatic cells (these cells secrete insulin, the hormone responsible for reducing blood levels of sugar).(2) What oxidants or free radicals do is set off the autoimmune process in motion that destroys insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells and causes type 1 diabetes.

In addition to their antioxidant content, fruits and veggies’ high fiber content may help people feel full and less likely to consume high energy foods that make you fat. Whatever the reason, adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is a simple way of helping prevent type 2 diabetes.

 

(1)  Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(14):1493-1499.
(2) Metabolism. 2008 Sep;57(9):1253-61.