Type 2 diabetes can lead to a number of health complications, but making certain dietary choices can help manage blood sugar levels. A study has found that a common vegetable could help
Type 2 diabetes, a condition marked by fluctuating blood sugar levels, can wreak havoc on the body. However, certain dietary choices can help manage these blood sugar levels.
In a remarkable study, it was found that a common vegetable could cut high blood sugar levels by up to 50%. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels, or the body’s cells don’t effectively use the insulin produced.
The NHS states that early signs of type 2 diabetes can include extreme fatigue, constant thirst, or unexplained weight loss.
Other symptoms can include:
- blurred vision
- cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
- itching around your genitals, or you keep getting thrush
These symptoms are the same for both adults and children, reports Surrey Live.
Insulin plays a crucial role in controlling blood sugar – the main type of sugar found in our blood. Without this control, blood sugar levels can skyrocket to dangerous levels.
Luckily, an effective solution might be closer than we think. Research presented at The Endocrine Society’s 97th annual meeting in San Diego revealed that extract from onion bulbs, Allium cepa, significantly lowered high blood glucose (sugar) in diabetic rats when given alongside the anti-diabetic drug metformin.
“Onion is cheap and readily available and has been used as a nutritional supplement,” announced lead investigator Anthony Ojieh, MBBS (MD), MSc, from Delta State University in Abraka, Nigeria. “It holds potential for use in treating patients with diabetes.”
Mr Ojieh and his team administered metformin alongside varying doses of onion extract – 200mg, 400mg and 600mg per kilogrammes of body weight daily – to three groups of rats with medically induced diabetes to determine whether it would enhance the drug’s effects.
The study involved administering metformin and onion extract to three groups of non-diabetic rats with normal blood sugar levels for comparison.
Two control groups, one non-diabetic and one diabetic, were not administered either metformin or onion extract.
Another two groups, one with diabetes and one without, received only metformin and no onion extract.
Each group consisted of five rats.
Onion extract, in doses of 400mg and 600mg, significantly lowered fasting blood sugar levels in diabetic rats by 50% and 35% respectively, compared to the baseline levels at the start of the study before the rodents received onion extract, Mr Ojieh reported.
However, onion extract led to an increase in average weight amongst non-diabetic rats but not diabetic rats.
Mr Ojieh said: “Onion is not high in calories.
“However, it seems to increase the metabolic rate and, with that, to increase the appetite, leading to an increase in feeding. We need to investigate the mechanism by which onion brought about the blood glucose reduction. We do not yet have an explanation.”
The onion extract used in the study was prepared from a common supermarket onion bulb, Mr Ojieh explained, adding that if given to humans, it would typically be purified so only the active ingredients are measured for proper dosage.
The NHS has offered some advice: “A healthy diet and keeping active will help you manage your blood sugar level. It’ll also help you control your weight and generally feel better.”
To maintain balanced blood sugar levels, the health service suggests a diet abundant in various foods, including veg like onions.
“Keep sugar, fat and salt to a minimum,” the NHS further advised. As always, if you have any health worries, it’s best to contact your local GP.