EATING a cheap 89p vegetable could help people manage a silent killer condition plaguing millions of Brits, a study suggests.
It’s thought that 5.8 million people in the UK are living with type 2 diabetes – though over a million of them might not know it.
Mushrooms contain beneficial compounds which may help the body respond to insulin[/caption]
The condition is characterised by high blood sugar levels caused by the body not making enough of a hormone called insulin, or the insulin it makes not working properly.
This is known as insulin resistance. When the body’s cells fail to respond properly to insulin, glucose can build up in the bloodstream, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.
Over time, high blood sugar levels can cause other health problems like heart attacks and strokes, as well as problems with the eyes, kidneys, and feet.
Researchers at Semmelweis University in Budapest said mushrooms could help prevent or manage insulin resistance.
They found that common mushroom varieties – such as white button, shiitake and oyster mushrooms that often cost under a pound – are rich in chemicals that may help improve sensitivity to insulin.
The beneficial compounds include polysaccharides, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, and bioactive proteins, along with essential vitamins and minerals, the study published in the Journal of Molecular Sciences suggests.
For example, indigestible polysaccharides in mushrooms feed beneficial gut bacteria, that support nutrient absorption and lower chronic inflammation – an important factor in insulin resistance.
Polysaccharides reduce sugar and fat absorption, which can help with weight management – an important part of both preventing and managing diabetes.
Researchers detailed other ways that mushrooms may help improve insulin resistance.
For starters, compounds in mushrooms may help regulate enzymes in the intestine, slowing the rate at which glucose enters the bloodstream and preventing sharp blood sugar spikes.
They may also help transport glucose more efficiently into muscle and fat cells and help maintain healthy blood sugar levels by stimulating insulin secretion and protecting pancreatic b-cells.
Finally, eating mushrooms reduce harmful fat accumulation and support healthier muscle function, researchers suggested.
They wrote: “Edible mushrooms, including medical mushrooms, are an important part of nutrition.
“They are a good source of fibre, vitamins, amino acids, and trace elements, but the most investigated are the water-soluble composites: polysaccharides.
How to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes
According to Diabetes UK, there are a few diet tweaks you can make to lower your risk of type 2 diabetes:
- Choose drinks without added sugar – skip out the sugar in your tea and coffee and stay away from fizzy and energy drinks
- Eat whole grains such as brown rice, wholewheat pasta, wholemeal flour, wholegrain bread and oats instead of refined carbs
- Cut down on red and processed meat like bacon, ham, sausages, pork, beef and lamb
- Eat plenty of fruit and veg – apples, grapes, berries, and green leafy veg such as spinach, kale, watercress, and rocket have been associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes
- Have unsweetened yoghurt and cheese
- Cut down on booze – and have a few days a week with none at all
- Have healthy snacks like unsweetened yoghurt, unsalted nuts, seeds and fruit and veg
- Eat healthy fats included in nuts, seeds, avocados and olive oil
- Cut down on salt
- Get your vitamins and minerals from food instead of tablets
“Polysaccharides have complex effects on the human body. They favourably modulate the intestinal microbiota, glucose, and lipid homeostasis, as well as the immune system, the combined effect of which can reduce insulin resistance.
“These effects make mushrooms, especially medicinal mushrooms, a potential part of complementary therapy for obesity and related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes.”
Lead author Dr Zsuzsanna Németh, a biologist at Semmelweis University’s Department of Internal Medicine and Oncology, said: “Our study reveals the remarkable potential of natural compounds in mushrooms to address key metabolic pathways.
“As interest grows in non-pharmacological approaches to disease prevention, this opens up exciting possibilities for using edible medicinal mushrooms as complementary agents in diabetes management.”
But Dr Németh noted that people with type 2 diabetes shouldn’t only rely on mushrooms to manage their condition and that they should be eaten as part of a balanced diet and under the guidance of healthcare professionals.
Researchers previously claimed that people who ate two medium mushrooms a day had a 45 per cent lower your risk of cancer compared to those who didn’t indulge in them.
Meanwhile, psychedelic mushrooms are now being looked at for their ability to ease mental health issues.
11 little known signs and risk factors for type 2 diabetes
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes can include:
1. peeing more than usual
2. feeling thirsty all the time
3. feeling very tired
4. losing weight without trying to
5. itching around your penis or vagina, or repeatedly getting thrush
6. cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
7. blurred vision
You’re more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes if you:
8. are over 40 years old, or over 25 if you’re from an Asian, Black African or Black Caribbean ethnic background
9. have a close relative with diabetes (such as a parent, brother or sister)
10. are overweight or living with obesity or are not very physically active
11. are from an Asian, Black African or Black Caribbean ethnic background
Source: The NHS
