Against diabetes: A fruit is said to prevent the common disease

It tastes delicious and is not only in high demand in summer: a certain fruit is said to have such a positive effect on blood sugar that type 2 diabetes does not even occur.

Watermelon is considered the perfect snack in summer: it quenches thirst because it consists almost entirely of water and also tastes deliciously refreshing. But the fruit seems to be able to do much more: Ingredients of the fruit from Africa should have a positive effect on our body - even with an unhealthy diet.

Watermelon for better blood sugar levels?

A study by Oregon State University in the United States found that powdered food supplements made from watermelons could have positive effects on the human body . The scientists had tested on obese mice how watermelon supplements affect their health. Surprisingly, the researchers found positive effects on the group of mice, which got to eat watermelon powder, but still continued to eat a high-fat diet.

In animal experiments, mice were fed with fat and sugar-rich food for ten weeks and divided into groups. One group also received high-dose watermelon supplements. After evaluating the weight and glucose tolerance of the mice, the study leaders were able to determine that the watermelon group had significantly better blood sugar levels than the group that did not eat any watermelon powder . The researchers also saw an increase in beneficial bacteria in the mice receiving powder supplements, said study co-author Neil Shay, professor of food science at the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences.

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Elevated blood sugar is an indicator of type 2 diabetes

The next major step in research would be a human clinical trial, Professor Shay said in a Oregon State University publication. The blood sugar level plays an essential role in the development of various diseases. Elevated blood sugar levels can be an indicator of type 2 diabetes , a disease in which the body does not produce or use enough insulin - a hormone that converts food into energy.

"Although the two groups of mice consumed the same amount of fat and sugar , eating 1.5 servings of watermelon meat or 2% fiber-rich watermelon rind or skin had a significant impact," said Shay.

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What else there is to know about sugar and a low-sugar diet:

Grain instead of soft drinks: Sugar is essential - too much of it, but it can make you sick. Healthy living is more than just "less sugar". It also involves more exercise and lots of drinking.