The popular feijoa, which New Zealand exports hundreds of tonnes of each year, is the centre of a new study investigating its potential against a condition now affecting some 200,000 Kiwis.
The popular feijoa, which New Zealand exports hundreds of tonnes of each year, is the centre of a new study investigating its potential against a condition now affecting some 200,000 Kiwis.
It’s a back-garden favourite – and if scientists’ suspicions are correct, the humble feijoa might offer a tangy tool to prevent Type 2 diabetes.
The popular autumn fruit, of which New Zealand exports hundreds of tonnes each year, is the centre of a new study investigating its potential against a condition now affecting some 200,000 Kiwis.
In the six-month programme, dubbed Ferdinand, University of Auckland researchers plan to recruit overweight or obese people with raised blood sugar levels.
They’ll be given about a gram of whole-fruit feijoa powder, or a placebo, each day to help the team understand if the fruit really can help reverse pre-diabetes.
“In theory, the feijoa powder will boost the benefits of weight loss, leading to improvements in blood sugar levels,” said the study’s leader and self-proclaimed feijoa addict, Associate Professor Jennifer Miles-Chan.
“Adding feijoa may be beneficial because of helpful compounds within the fruit, particularly within its skin, called polyphenols and abscisic acid.”
Type 2 diabetes itself is caused when either our bodies don’t produce enough insulin, or our cells don’t recognise that it’s present, resulting in high levels of glucose in the blood.
Around the world, the number of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes has been steadily increasing, to the point that nearly half a billion of us are living with it.
While it usually develops in people after they turn 30 or 40, there’s growing concern over rising rates of children and teens at risk.
Already, a short-term study has pointed to the benefits of feijoas for people with Type 2 diabetes – and the new programme marks the first time anywhere that researchers have turned to the fruit to stave off its onset.
Type 2 diabetes itself is caused when either our bodies don’t produce enough insulin, or our cells don’t recognise that it’s present, resulting in high levels of glucose in the blood. Photo / Brian Setford
In the first two months, participants will likely lose 5 to 10 per cent of their weight through a free “meal replacement” programme – eating soups, shakes and porridge, but also pasta and rice dishes – to be overseen by a registered dietitian.
The following four months will focus on maintaining this weight loss among the group, with researchers keen to recruit people who are aged 18 to 70 and considered at high risk, based on a fasting blood glucose test.
“We are really wanting to help those people who are on the borderline of developing diabetes to lower their risk, yet many people may not be aware their blood sugar levels are high,” Miles-Chan said.
“So you don’t need to already know if you have pre-diabetes. We can test that for you.”
As well as the potential to reverse their diabetes risk and the many benefits of weight loss, participants will discover more about their health.
“Participants will get extensive diet and weight loss advice, detailed blood tests, body composition scans and glucose checks.
“An added benefit is the two months’ worth of free meals.”
Supported by the collaborative High-Value Nutrition National Science Challenge, the study is being conducted by the university’s Human Nutrition Unit in collaboration with AgResearch, the Malaghan Institute and Plant and Food Research.
Kūmara: In another new University of Auckland study, scientists are exploring whether kūmara can help babies ward off viruses and sleep more soundly. It’s thought the much-loved vegetable can foster healthy bacteria within the community of tiny organisms that make up a baby’s microbiome.
Cherries: New Zealand-grown cherries were recently shown to be jam-packed with components essential to human health. The Massey University-led study found they contained a wealth of nutrients, including vitamins A, E, K, C and B, carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. They’ve already shown potential against oxidative stress, inflammation and exercise-induced muscle soreness, and are thought to improve blood pressure, arthritis and sleep.
Mussels: Massey University researchers also demonstrated in a recent clinical study how our greenshell mussels could help reduce knee pain in post-menopausal women. Their study found that, after 12 weeks of taking mussel powder, participants reported significantly less joint pain in their knees.
Kiwifruit: A two-year study by researchers at the Massey-based Riddet Institute found eating two green kiwifruit a day could improve sleep quality and mood. Exploring the benefits of eating two kiwifruit in the evening, the research team found an immediate positive effect, with participants experiencing a better sleep the same night.
Macadamia nuts: A recent preliminary analysis of Torere Macadamias nuts, grown in the eastern Bay of Plenty, showed they have promising concentrations of three key nutrients – vitamin C, vitamin B6 and selenium. That was more than the Plant and Food Research team found within overseas-grown macadamias they compared against. The analysis also showed that the vitamin B6 found in the nuts reached the concentration known to be good for a range of health benefits, including combatting tiredness and maintaining a healthy metabolism.
