Asparagus, artichokes hold the key to fight obesity, diabetes

LONDON - A research has found that eating vegetables such as asparagus and Jerusalem artichokes could hold the key to fighting obesity and diabetes.

Foods such as garlic, chicory, asparagus and artichokes are known as fermentable carbohydrates, which are thought to activate the release of gut hormones that reduce appetite.

They also enhance sensitivity to insulin - the hormone produced by the pancreas that allows glucose to enter the body’s cells - thereby leading to better glucose control, it is believed.

The charity Diabetes UK is now funding research into the health benefits of such foods.

If proved to be effective, the findings could revolutionise treatments for obesity and type 2 diabetes.

“By investigating how appetite and blood glucose levels are regulated in people at high risk of Type 2 diabetes, it is hoped that we can find a way to prevent its onset,” the Telegraph quoted Nicola Guess, a dietitian at Imperial College, London, who is leading the three-year study, as saying.

“If successful, this study will be able to determine whether fermentable carbohydrates could provide the public with an effective and affordable health intervention to reduce an individual’s risk of developing diabetes,” added Guess.

Research by the University of Leicester, published last week, suggests that eating green leafy vegetables could help cut the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Broccoli, kale, spinach, sprouts and cabbage can reduce the risk by 14 per cent when eaten daily.

The vegetables are rich in antioxidants and magnesium, which has been linked to lower levels of diabetes.

The study has been published in the British Medical Journal. (ANI)