Diabetes occurs when your pancreas struggles with the production of a hormone called insulin. In people with this condition, the insulin produced is either not effective, there is not enough of it or the body can’t produce any at all. Here’s a 49p green food that can enhance insulin sensitivity and lower blood sugar levels.
More than 4.9 million people in the UK have diabetes, according to Diabetes UK.
But what’s even worse is that this statistic is set to rocket, reaching one in 10 people by 2030.
Unlike type 1 diabetes, the type 2 condition might be prevented by a combination of diet and lifestyle interventions.
One food that can target blood sugar for a cheap buck is broccoli.
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Broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse rich in vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, D and more.
The cruciferous vegetable is packed with a presence of a compound called sulforaphane.
Sulforaphane is the goodie that has blood-sugar-lowering abilities, according to research.
The interesting thing is how this chemical is produced. It’s induced by chopping or chewing broccoli.
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This happens due to the reaction between a glucosinolate compound called glucoraphanin and the enzyme myrosinase, explains research from the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
To get the best benefits of this plant chemical, forget about extensive cooking and prep.
Go for the raw option or lightly steam the broccoli instead to ensure a good amount of sulforaphane.
If you want to enhance the compound, you can add some mustard which is an active source of myrosinase, the National Library of Medicine advises.
Another way to eat the cheap vegetable is taking a powder which contains concentrated broccoli extract.
This extract was able to reduce blood sugar levels by up to 10 per cent in people with type 2 diabetes, reports New Scientist.
However, this treatment isn’t suitable for some people because of potential kidney damage risks. Currently, there’s more research needed into this therapy.
Different studies have found that having broccoli extract can also boost insulin sensitivity.
Insulin sensitivity describes the responsiveness of your cells to the hormone insulin.
Improving it can help you lower insulin resistance in return, which describes cells not being able to easily take up glucose from your blood.
The last bit of research, published in the National Library of Medicine, found that eating cruciferous vegetables, which includes broccoli, is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
So, broccoli might be able to cut your blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity and cut your risk of diabetes all in one vegetable.
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