After tracking the health outcomes of roughly 187,000 people for more than two decades, a team from the Harvard School of Public Health found those who ate whole fruits on a weekly basis lowered their type 2 diabetes risk by 23% compared to those who ate fruit less than once a month. (The same study published in British Medical Journal found drinking fruit juice every day increases diabetes risk by as mush as 21%.) A separate report published in the Journal of Nutrition linked the consumption of flavonols—nutritious compounds found in many fruits and vegetables—to a 26% drop in type 2 diabetes incidences. The second study may provide an explanation for the findings of the first: Flavonols like quercetin have been linked to lower blood glucose levels, improved insulin concentrations, and alleviated symptoms of diabetes, the researchers write. And fruits that contain a lot of quercetin—namely apples, red grapes, and blueberries—were the same whole fruits the Harvard study linked to decreased diabetes risk. More from Prevention: Eat These (Healthy) Foods, Feel Happier Unlike the fruits from which they’re derived, drinks like apple and orange juice pass through your digestive system very quickly and have a high glycemic index—meaning your blood sugar levels tend to elevate after consuming them. This may explain why fruit juice, and not slow-digesting whole fruits, raises your diabetes risk, the Harvard study team hypothesizes. Try to eat at least two servings of whole fruits each week, the Harvard research suggests. What’s a serving? One cup, or the equivalent of a medium-sized apple or a generous handful of grapes or blueberries. Do this, and you’ll reduce your diabetes risk by nearly a quarter, the research shows. But don’t neglect other fruits. It’s likely that the flavonols found in pears, bananas, and other whole fruits and vegetables are also helpful in lowering your diabetes risk, the Journal of Nutrition study shows. More from Prevention: How Some Dairy Defends Against Diabetes
