Soy yogurts and dairy yogurts rich in fruit regulate enzymes that affect blood sugar levels, according a new study in the Journal of Food Biochemistry, Reuters reports via CNN.com.
Dr. Kalidas Shetty and his fellow researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst went out and bought peach, strawberry, blueberry and plain yogurt made by four different companies, including a brand of soy yogurt, to study plant compounds that effect enzymes targeted by certain diabetes medications.
Dr. Shetty and his team found that soy blueberry yogurt affected all three enzymes they studied. They also tested the yogurt for antioxidants and plant enzymes called phenols, which give tea and red wine some of their heart-healthy characteristics, the story explains. Soy yogurt had the greatest inhibitory effect on ACE, an enzyme that narrows blood vessels and increases blood pressure.
Now, I’m no expert, but I’m doubt diabetics and high blood pressure sufferers should stock up on yogurt just yet. (Hint: It has to do with the sugar.) Anyhow, the study seems to suggest that plant compounds can help control blood sugar levels in diabetics, as well as keep blood vessels open and flowing.
So wouldn’t it stand to reason that the solution would be to eat actual plants (fruits, in this case), rather sugar-packed yogurt products with a bit of fruit tossed in? I mean, if the researchers wanted to know what effect plants have on diabetic enzymes, why not just go straight to the source? I’m confused.
The article doesn’t state which yogurt brands Shetty and his team analyzed, but I took a peek at the nutritional label of blueberry soy yogurt made by Stonyfield Farms, one of the biggest soy yogurt brands. That particular product has an insanely high amount of sugar in it—27 grams in a container of just 6 ounces!
I just can’t imagine that the beneficial effects of the blueberries could completely counteract the negative effect of the added sugar found in the stuff, particularly on people who have diabetes.
Why even hint that people eat fruit-based yogurt instead of encouraging them to plain old good-for-you fruit, unencumbered by added sugar and whatever else yogurt contains?
It seems to me that this study could easily be construed as a stamp of approval for something that every person—let alone diabetics and high blood pressure patients—would do well to avoid. By that I mean sugar, of course.
From Jennifer Moore of the SUGAR SHOCK! Blog Squad
Note from Connie: Jennifer found an interesting item, didn’t she? I’m so grateful to her for helping me to track down blog-worthy material. I’m sort of swamped right now with pre-publication book promotion stuff.