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Diabetes poses a growing threat in the UK, but sometimes minor dietary changes can offer protective effects.
In fact, even those at risk of the disease can prevent or delay complications with the right interventions. But knowing which foods to prioritise is key.
Taking to TikTok, physician Terry Shintani recently highlighted the importance of certain carbohydrates, namely apples, in diabetes prevention.
“Let me clear up a misconception that the best carbs are always complex carbs, and that simple carbs are always bad for you," Dr Shintani declared.
The coloured pigments in certain fruits may play a role in diabetes prevention
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“Simple carbs are sugars such as sucrose or table sugar, or fructose, made up of one or two sugar molecules. A complex carb is a starch, such as potatoes or bread, made up of long chains of dozens to hundreds of thousands of sugars.
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“White bread is a complex carb; mostly starch. An apple is all fructose, yet its glycemic index is just 51. In this case, the simple carb in the form of a whole apple is better than the complex carb."
In other words, the complex carb may be deemed the unhealthier of the two options because it’s processed and turns into fine particles of white flour, which are quickly absorbed and raise blood sugar.
“Whereas the apple is intact, and the fibre in the apple slows the absorption for a lower glycemic response," added Dr Shintani.
“So to help control blood sugar, consider eating more whole carbs such as apples.”
Past study findings have shown that modest fruit and vegetable intake can reduce type 2 diabetes risk by up to 50 per cent.
The findings, published in the BMJ, observed these protective effects in participants with the highest blood levels of plant-derived nutrients like vitamins and carotenoids.
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Two-thirds of a medium apple each day may lower diabetes risk
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The brightly coloured antioxidant pigments, which occur naturally in plant-based foods, appear to play a critical role in diabetes prevention.
It was shown that even remarkably small increases in vegetable and fruit intake provide substantial protection against the disease, with the equivalent of only two-thirds of a medium apple, or just one-third of a cup of mixed fruit, each day lowering the risk.
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But while studies have generally found evidence that higher consumption of whole fruits protects against type 2 diabetes, they've also warned that their juices can hike the risk.
This is because once the fibre is removed from the fruit, all that remains in the liquid is highly concentrated fructose.
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