In a study reported in the Journal of Nutrition, Japanese researchers have found that bilberry extract helped to control blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity.
The team gave the extract, along with a normal diet, to mice that had a genetic predisposition to developing diabetes; the other group of lab mice just received the food. The findings showed that those mice fed the extract had significantly lower levels of blood glucose.
The researchers suggest that bilberry’s effect may be due to its ability to activate a special protein called AMPK which speeds the breakdown of fat in the liver and also supports the secretion of insulin by the pancreas. It remains to be seen whether these findings are duplicated in humans — in the meantime, it can’t hurt to add anthocyanin-rich foods like bilberries, blueberries, purple grapes and cranberries to your diet, especially if there is a history of diabetes in your family.
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