Diabetes rates are on the rise in the US, with numbers topping 15 million expected to double in the next 2 decades. Conventional medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes target specific enzymes that modulate the bodies response to glucose.
Type 2 diabetics respond abnormally to the rise in blood glucose, or blood sugar, that occurs after consuming food. This response can be exaggerated if the food is high in sugar or simple carbohydrates and calmed if protein and/or fat content is high.
Dairy products such as cheese and yogurt are healthy food choices for diabetics, but they must be cautious to avoid added sugars and sweeteners that can even come in the form of "fruit". But according to a new study released this month in the Journal of Food and Biochemistry some fruit sweetened yogurts may help treat Type 2 diabetes.
For the study researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst studied the effects of several flavors of fruit sweetened yogurt on important enzymes regulating the bodies response to rises in blood sugar. Of those tested, one was a soy yogurt. They also looked at the effect of these foods on enzymes responsible for regulating blood pressure and for antioxidant content.
Soy yogurt with blueberry was found to have the most activity with enzymes responisble for the regulation of blood sugar and blood pressure. Cow's milk yogurt in both peach and strawberry was found to influence those enzymes at work regulating blood sugar only.
Most of the yogurts also contained high amounts of phenols, a particular antioxidant, though the plain soy yogurt contained the highest levels.
The researchers concluded that foods, are relatively inexpensive and easily attainable , and are effective at helping to control conditions such as diabetes.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on November 13, 2006 03:59 PM
