Chemicals in cherries could help combat diabetes

Scientists at Michigan State University in the US have revealed that certain chemicals to be found in cherries could help in combatting diabetes, it has emerged.
The study, which is to be published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry by the American Chemical Society, showed that a set chemicals that are found naturally found in abundance in cherries could help reduce the level of blood sugar in people that suffer from diabetes.
The research, which examined pancreatic cells in animals, found that these chemicals, named anthocyanins, can raise the production of insulin by up to 50 per cent. Anthocyanins, which are a type of plant pigment that is responsible for the colour of many fruits, including cherries, are also strong antioxidants, a range of chemicals that are being increasingly associated with health benefits, such as offering protection against cancer and heart disease .
The study investigated the potential benefits of these compounds as a preventative treatment for both type 2 diabetes and non-insulin-dependent diabetes, the most common type of the metabolic condition. It is also hoped that anthocyanins will be useful in helping to control the level of glucose in people who are have diabetes.