According to a study published in the journal Diabetes Care in 2003, cinnamon may be quite effective at reducing blood sugar levels in diabetic patients, reducing the need for diabetes medication.

The study, conducted by Pakistani researchers, involved 30 diabetic men and 30 diabetic women who were divided into six groups. The first three groups consumed 1, 3 or 6 grams of cinnamon per day in the form of a cinnamon supplement while the final three groups received placebos.

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A Mediterranean style diet that is high in fruit, nuts, legumes, and grains may reduce an individuals risk of developing type-2 diabetes by more than 80% according to new research published in May this year.

The study, conducted by Spanish researchers and published in the British Medical Journal, followed 13,380 Spanish university graduates for an average of 4.4 years. The graduates adherence to a Mediterranean diet was calculated by giving each participant a score of zero or one for their consumption of nine components of a Mediterranean diet.

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Evidence from several large studies suggests that vegetarians may be more than 50% less likely to develop type-2 diabetes compared to those who consume meat on a regular basis.

One of the largest studies on the link between a vegetarian diet and diabetes came from a study of 25,698 seventh day adventists in 1960 over a 21 year study period. The study was published in the American Journal of Public Health in 1985.

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People who consume nuts on a regular basis may be much less likely to develop type-2 diabetes according to a recent study.

The study was published in The Journal of the American Medical Association in November 2002 by researchers at the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. The authors analyzed data on 83,818 women which was collected from the Nurses Health Study (NHS) over a 16 year period from 1980 to 1996.

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A recent study has found that eating dairy products such as cheese, milk, butter, and yogurt can reduce an individuals risk of developing type-2 diabetes.

The study, published in the journal Diabetes Care in 2006, involved following 37,183 healthy middle-aged women for an average of 10 years. The women were asked to complete questionnaires on their consumption of 130 common food products.

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Consumption of coffee may be associated with a reduction in type-2 diabetes risk according to a study published in the June 2006 edition of the journal Archives of Internal Medicine.

The researchers used data from the Iowa Women’s Health Study which was conducted between 1986 and 1997 and involved 28,812 post menopausal women.

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Regular red and processed meat consumption of more than 5 servings a week is a significant risk factor for the development of type-2 diabetes according to several research studies.

One of the largest studies on the link between meat consumption and diabetes risk involved the study of 37,309 initially healthy women aged over 45 years who were followed for an average of 8.8 years.

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Fresh fruit and green leafy vegetables such as spinach, silver-beet, and lettuce reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes according to a new study published in the journal Diabetes Care. The same study also found that consumption of fruit juice may increase the risk of diabetes.

The researchers analyzed data from 71,346 healthy female nurses between the ages of 38 and 63 over an 18 year period between 1984 and 2002. Over the study period, 4,529 new cases of type-2 diabetes were diagnosed.

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A 12-year study on the effects of alcohol on diabetes has found that consumption of alcohol may reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. The reduction in diabetes risk was apparent even at relatively high levels of alcohol consumption (more than 28 standard drinks a week).

The researchers used data from 46,892 male health professionals who were sent questionnaires every two years for the 12 year study period.

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Low-carbohydrate diets high in plant based protein and fat may be better than traditional low fat, high carbohydrate diets at reducing the risk of diabetes according to a new study published in the February 2008 edition of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The researchers used data from the Nurses’ Health Study which followed over 85,000 women over a 20 year period. The researchers examined the association between the percentage of energy intake from carbohydrates and the probability of developing diabetes.

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Diabetics often ask whether it is safe for them to eat large quantities of fruit. Many people suffering from diabetes avoid eating fruit because they are worried about the high sugar content found in most fruits. Fortunately, there are many fruits a diabetic can enjoy which do not significantly affect blood glucose levels.

Good Fruits For Diabetics

Fiber rich foods are general safe for diabetics to eat because they tend to have a lower glycemic index (GI) and therefore do not spike blood sugar levels to the same extent as high GI foods. This is because fiber slows down the absorption of sugar into the blood stream. Fiber rich fruits tend to be fruits with edible skins and seeds as it is these parts of the fruit that are highest in fiber.

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Typical staples of a western diet such as diet soft drinks, red meats, and fried foods significantly increase your risk of developing diabetes and heart disease according to a recent study.

The study, funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute found that as little as two servings of red or processed meat a day and one diet soft drink can dramatically raise an individuals risk of developing metabolic syndrome.

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Those who eat breakfast cereal each day are far less likely to develop type-2 diabetes than those who do not according to a recent study published in the journal Obesity in December, 2007.

Researchers at the Harvard medical school in Boston, using data from over 20,000 individuals from the Physicians’ Health Study, found a correlation between breakfast cereal consumption and a reduction in the risk of type-2 diabetes. The relationship was stronger amongst those eating whole-grain cereals rather than processed cereal products.

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As a general rule, diabetics are able to drink alcohol in light to moderate amounts without any negative health effects.

Alcohol actually lowers blood-sugar levels for up to 8-12 hours after alcohol is consumed. This is because alcohol promotes blood glucose uptake into the liver in the form of glycogen (a form of short term energy storage).

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