Pumpkins & Diabetes

Eating pumpkins may help diabetics

This comes into the 'strange but true' category of scientific research.

As yet, we don't know if it works in humans, but in rats pumpkin extract has been shown to partially reverse the damage done to the beta cells of the pancreas in Type I (insulin-dependent) diabetes. This resulted in increased levels of plasma insulin in diabetic rats. The rats never fully got up to non-diabetic levels of insulin because some of their pancreatic cells were damaged beyond repair.

We don't know whether this works in humans. The researchers speculate that pumpkin will improve insulin sensitivity and increase plasma insulin levels. They suggest it could be of use to both Type I and Type II diabetics.

Large-scale human trials would be needed to see if this works in humans. Meanwhile you can look at your Halloween pumpkin in a new light - it could be a medicine of the future!

Reference: Xia T, Wang Q. Hypoglycaemic role of Cucurbita ficifolia (Cucurbitaceae) fruit extract in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 2007;87:1753-7.

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