November 15/London/Daily Mail -- A glass of orange juice a day may reduce the risk of diabetes.

In a new trial, overweight women are being given the juice to reduce their risk of insulin resistance, which is often called pre-diabetes. This is where the body becomes less responsive to the hormone insulin, which controls the amount of sugar in the blood. Left untreated this can lead to full-blown type 2 diabetes and the health risks associated with it, such as heart disease.

However, antioxidants in orange juice are thought to have positive effects on blood vessels leading to improvements in insulin sensitivity. The 14-week trial, where patients will have either 250mL of orange juice or a placebo orange-flavored drink, will test this theory.

"People are encouraged to lose weight to reduce their risk of diabetes, but dietary modifications may help maximise benefits of this weight loss," say Nottingham University researchers.  

From the November 17, 2010, Prepared Foods' Daily News
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