Scientists from the University of Tasmania, as part of a research team, discovered that consuming citrus fruits stabilizes blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes complications. Research results published at Science Direct.
In their study, scientists analyzed 129 studies on the therapeutic role of citrus fruits in diabetes. Flavonols and flavanones, organic compounds found in lemons, oranges, and grapefruit, have been shown to have powerful antioxidant properties that help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. In Diabetes Mellitus, oxidative stress (the process of cell damage as a result of oxidation) can be triggered by hyperglycemia, an increase in blood sugar levels. Flavonols and flavanones can slow down the oxidation process.
Compounds such as naringin and hesperidin may reduce the risk of diabetes. They inhibit (decrease) the activity of glucose transport enzymes that penetrate the cell membrane, delivering glucose molecules to the cells. Therefore, the absorption of glucose in the intestine decreases, which leads to a decrease in its release into the bloodstream and a decrease in the risk of hyperglycemia, which is characteristic of all types of diabetes.
Quercetin, a citrus flavonol (vitamin P), has also been found to prevent the development of diabetic nephropathy, which is kidney damage caused by diabetes. Another flavonol, hesperidin, reduces the risk of retinopathy, which is atrophy of the optic nerve and subsequent blindness due to pathological changes in the retina due to diabetes.
existed before named Foods that are good for obesity and diabetic patients.