Foods That Fend Off Diabetes

By Debra Rouse

An all-around healthy diet is, of course, important for anyone, but prediabetics should pay special attention to foods that provide vitamins and minerals their bodies may be lacking -- some of which could actually help ward off diabetes.

Think D for Diabetes Protection
A number of studies have shown that vitamin D intake is associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. One 2004 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study, for example, found that subjects with lower-than-normal levels of vitamin D showed increased insulin resistance.

The National Academy of Sciences recommends that adults get 200 to 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily, depending on age. Unlike with other vitamins, the human body can manufacture its own vitamin D in the skin: Just 30 minutes of sun exposure produces about 10,000 to 12,000 IU of vitamin D. Nevertheless, most people in the United States fall short, especially in winter.

Fortunately, sun exposure is not our only access to vitamin D. The nutrient is also found in some foods, including sardines, shiitake mushrooms, tuna, salmon and fortified milk from cows and soybeans.

Supplements are also good idea for diabetes prevention: In a recent study in Diabetes Care, women who took 800 IU of vitamin D daily (especially together with calcium) had a significantly lower risk for type 2 diabetes.

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