Antioxidant rich diet linked to lower diabetes risk in women.

Consuming a diet rich in antioxidant foods is associated with a reduction in risk of type-2 diabetes (T2D) in middle-aged women, according to a new study in the journal Diabetologia.

Women with the highest quintile of dietary antioxidant intake, measured by total antioxidant capacity (TOC), reduced their risk of T2D by 27 %.

Total antioxidant capacity (TOC) is an index which estimates the aggregated antioxidant capacity from the sum of all the individual antioxidant components in the diet.

The development of T2D may involve oxidative stress, recent evidence has suggested. A diet containing fruit, vegetables and beverages including tea contains a variety of compounds with antioxidative properties. In this study, “the food groups that contributed the most to the TOC were fruit (23%), vegetables (19%), alcoholic beverages (15%) and hot beverages such as tea, chicory and hot chocolate (12%).

Strawberry Orange Ginger Smoothie

Fresh ginger gives this smoothie a refreshing and delicious taste.

The healing properties of ginger are similar to non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), therefore, it can regulate biochemical pathways which are activated with chronic inflammation. Adding ginger to your daily diet can soothe the aches and pain associated with aging. If you wake up with stiff joints or sore hands, this smoothie in the morning may put a smile on your face.

Ingredients

~1 cup orange juice.

~1 cup Vanilla Almond Milk

~1 tsp grated ginger root

~1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries

In a blender, combine orange juice, milk, ginger root and berries. Puree until smooth. Serve cold.

Excellent source of vitamin C, potassium and anthocyanins (antioxidants in berries).

Tip: turn this into your daily serving of Omega-3 by adding a teaspoon of Carlson’s The Very Finest Fish Oil, Orange or Lemon Flavor. Adding the Omega-3 EPA/DHA rich oil boosts the ginger's inflammation balancing power and you'll be supporting heart, brain, and vision health too! And I assure you this taste award winning oil is never fishy. Try it you'll be hooked!

Alpha Lipoic Acid, Omega-3 EPA and DHA, and Vitamin E lower hemoglobin A1c in diabetics.

A study reported in the July-September 2013 issue of the Annals of Medical and Health Sciences Research, found a that supplementation with either 300 mg Alpha Lipoic Acid, 180 mg EPA and 120 mg DHA, or 400 iu Vitamin E resulted in a reduction of hemoglobin A1c and fasting glucose levels in diabetics. These three supplement groups experienced encouraging decreases in blood glucose and HbA1c with no adverse effect. The study authors noted that vitamin E was the most cost effective though the maximum improvement in blood glucose and HbA1c was with the omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA.