Flavonoid-rich foods linked to lowered diabetes risk

By Shereen Jegtvig NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Women with diets rich in foods like berries, chocolate, red wine and tea also have reduced inflammation and insulin resistance – a diabetes precursor, according to new UK research. Flavonoids are chemical compounds found in colorful fruits and vegetables, and laboratory studies suggest they may offer a variety of health benefits. “The aim of this study was to add more weight to these findings by starting to unravel how they work in humans,” said Aedin Cassidy, a nutrition researcher at the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School, who led the study. “Our previous studies have shown that these powerful bioactive compounds called flavonoids, present in berries and other foods like chocolate and wine, can reduce your risk of having a heart attack and of developing type 2 diabetes,” Cassidy told Reuters Health by email.