Last week we showed you how just one sugar-sweetened beverage could raise your diabetes risk by about 20%. But that’s not the only diabetes study that got our attention recently. In fact, the latest research shows preventing your risk for this deadly disease isn’t just about what you eliminate from your diet…

What you add is just as important.

This study examined health data from nearly 40,000 adults over a 10-year span.

Researchers documented 915 new cases of type 2 diabetes. But that wasn’t the only data that got their attention. They also found people with the highest intake of this antioxidant had the greatest reduction in risk. And it didn’t come from supplements…

You may recall this nutrient can help save your eyesight. Even protect your brain from dementia. But fighting diabetes may be its most useful benefit yet. That’s because other anti-oxidants couldn’t match its protective effect. Even lycopene fell short…despite having a better bioavailability.1

Just eating a diet rich in this common carotenoid helped lower the average adult’s type 2 diabetes risk up to 22%. And there’s a good chance you have plenty of it in your kitchen right now…

We’re talking about beta-carotene.

But researchers also found alpha-carotene intake lowered diabetes risk by 15%. So eating these two antioxidants together could lead to even lower odds of facing this disease. Both of these antioxidants help your body make vitamin A.

Not only does it preserve eyesight, vitamin A is also necessary for immune health and bone growth. And it may be critical in preventing type 2 diabetes.

A recent study from the Weill Cornell Medical College in New York found removing vitamin A from the diets of healthy mice led to lower production of insulin. And no surprise… It also resulted in blood sugar spikes. But adding it back to their diets brought levels back down to normal.2

So what’s the best way to get more beta-carotene?

Eating high-carotenoid foods is your best place to start. Pumpkin seeds are rich in alpha- and beta-carotene. Organic carrots and dark leafy greens are also good sources. But if you do choose to supplement, make sure to get one that includes a carotenoid complex. Not just beta-carotene. Find a supplement that comes from whole food sources.

In Good Health,

Angela Salerno
Publisher, INH Health Watch

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References:

1http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Dietary-carotenoids-linked-to-lower-type-2-diabetes-risks-in-healthy-adults
2http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/288199.php