The diabetes is a lifelong condition characterized by consistently high blood sugar levels.
This dysfunction in blood sugar control occurs when the body stops producing insulin or becomes insensitive to it.
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Millions are affected by the condition in the world, but the number of cases continues to grow and accelerate, year after year.
A plant can be useful in the treatment and prevention of diabetes, helping to reduce blood sugar levels in 30 minutes.
All of the foods recommended for blood sugar control share the common trait of having a low glycemic index (GI).
An example is the cucumber, which has a GI of 15 and has been linked to better blood sugar levels in animal and laboratory studies.
WebMD states: “Cucumbers are low in carbohydrates, so they may be a good choice for people with high blood sugar.
“Early trials suggest that cucumber is one of the most effective plants not only for lowering blood sugar levels, but also for reducing the risk of hypoglycemia during a blood sugar crash.
«For people with diabetes, cucumber can be a useful addition to their diet to moderate blood sugar levels more effectively.»
The lowering effects of cucumber on blood sugar were illustrated in a study conducted by the University of California.
The findings, published in the medical journal Science, seem to suggest that a key compound in cucumber, called cucurbitacin, has a number of beneficial health effects, which may be useful in the treatment of cancer and diabetes.
The study also showed that the extract could have a positive effect on blood sugar levels.
The effects of the compound, which bitters the plant, were studied in mice induced with cancer cells.
The results showed that the rodents were 60 percent less likely to develop cancer after consuming high levels of the bitter juice and saw significant reductions in blood sugar levels.
The Diabetes health website commented: “Although the compound was tested primarily in mice, the reduction in blood glucose was considerable.
«Previous studies have shown that low blood sugar levels can be seen in as little as 30 minutes, with the greatest reductions occurring after four hours.»
The findings are consistent with research published in the Journal of Plant Foods for Human Nutritionwhich found that an extract derived from cucumber peel reversed most of the changes associated with diabetes in mice.
But separate research published in the Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Science only observed reductions in blood sugar levels after nine days of therapy.
The study researchers wrote: “Our findings indicated that the seed extracts [de pepino] were not effective in lowering blood glucose levels in normal and diabetic rats during the initial phase of treatment.
“However, both […] extracts were effective in lowering blood glucose levels and controlling body weight loss in diabetic rats compared to controls after nine days of continuous therapy.»
Unfortunately, all of the studies to date have been done in rodents, warranting further research to elucidate the effects of cucumber on humans.
But the compounds investigated in all of the aforementioned experiments have been shown to help the body process and eliminate free radicals.
This process is believed to be critical in the prevention of certain conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.