To reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, a healthy diet is very important.

Generally, a diet rich in whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables and healthy fats (e.g., polyunsaturated fats) and low in added sugar and added salt is recommended.

Besides, some foods can be particularly helpful in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Here we introduce 5 foods that can help you achieve this goal:                     

Foods rich in plant protein

Plant protein is usually found in soy, beans, seeds, and nuts. A recent study shows that consuming plant protein is linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes. On the contrary, foods rich in meat are linked to a higher risk of type 2 diabetes.

Legumes

Legumes can provide many health benefits because they are rich in vitamin B and dietary fiber. It is known that dietary fiber can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.Eating whole fruits are much better than drinking juice especially for people with diabetes as whole fruits are full of fiber.Legumes are also considered a low-glycemic index food. This means after consuming legumes, the blood sugar levels increase slowly.

A recent study shows that people who ate legumes less than 0.5 servings per week, had a 33% lower risk in type 2 diabetes as compared to people who ate legumes 1 serving per week.

Avocado

Avocado is listed here because research shows that it can help reduce metabolic syndrome. This health condition is a clustering of risk factors including high blood sugar, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high BMI.

These factors play a big role in many chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and some cancers.One caution here is that avocados are full of monounsaturated fat. Studies find that foods rich in monounsaturated fat, like avocado and olive oil, may pose a threat to the liver.

Apple cider vinegar

It is known that apple cider vinegar has some health benefits. One study finds that the beverage may help control blood sugar and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Researchers found that people with insulin resistance had a slower increase in blood sugar if they drank diluted apple cider vinegar before eating after eating starchy carb food. It is possible that apple cider vinegar can help decrease carb absorption or slow the breakdown of carbs into sugars.

Dark chocolate

Dark chocolate has lots of health benefits, especially to the heart. It helps reduce stress and inflammation and improve memory and cognitive functions.

The health benefit from cocoa is due to the major source of flavonoids that it contains.