Want to Prevent Diabetes? Avoid This Food (Study)

Arab Weather - Burger lovers may be worried after new findings from Harvard University. A recent study revealed a "significant" link between a component of red meat and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. But how?

The relationship between heme iron and diabetes

Iron is essential for red blood cell production, immune system support, and hormone production. Iron comes in two main forms: heme iron, found in red meat, poultry, and seafood, and non-heme iron, found in plant foods.

Researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health studied nearly 207,000 health care professionals over 36 years. The study found that people who consumed the most heme iron had a 26% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who consumed the least.

Unlike heme iron, non-heme iron, found in plant foods, was not associated with an increased risk of diabetes in this study. However, the researchers note that some plant-based meats may contain added heme iron to enhance their flavor and meaty appearance.

Research suggests that heme iron may cause inflammation, damage DNA, and may increase the risk of colorectal, pancreatic, and lung cancer.

Nutritional advice

Reducing heme iron intake, especially from red meat, and eating a more plant-based diet could be effective strategies for reducing diabetes risk, said Frank Hu, study author and professor of nutrition and epidemiology at Harvard University. “This work highlights the importance of healthy food choices in diabetes prevention,” he added.

• Importance of the study

This isn’t the first study to link high amounts of heme iron to an increased risk of diabetes, but it does provide a clearer analysis of the relationship between the two. “It adds another layer of evidence to the negative health effects of red meat,” said Dr. Rivka Schulman Rosenbaum, director of the Division of Diabetes at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, noting the importance of reducing or avoiding red meat to improve health.

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