Can Vitamin C Rich Foods Help in Treating Diabetes Mellitus?

Diabetes mellitus more commonly referred to as simply, diabetes encompasses a group of metabolic disorders where your body experiences high blood sugar levels over an extended period of time. This can lead to certain symptoms like, increased thirst, frequent urination, and increased hunger. In more extreme cases, the symptoms can be cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, stroke, foot ulcers, damage to the eyes, diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperosmolar hyperglycemic state, and even death.

Diabetes can generally be separated into two different forms: Type -1 diabetes and Type-2 diabetes. Type -1 diabetes is the result of your pancreas failing to produce sufficient amounts of insulin due to the loss of beta cells. It is often referred to as “insulin dependent diabetes mellitus”.  People suffering from Type-1 diabetes have to regularly inject insulin into their bodies. Type-2 diabetes on the other hand refers to your body being insulin resistant; your body cannot make use of the insulin being produced properly. Lack of insulin may occur as the disease progresses. This form of diabetes is often called “non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. It is often the result of excessive body weight and inadequate exercise.

How Does Vitamin C Help?

Vitamin C helps primarily when it comes to treating Type-2 diabetes which typically occurs as you grow older and is heavily influenced by your lifestyle. Vitamin C intake helps in two ways: eating foods high in vitamin C are typically healthier for you overall, and vitamin C is an antioxidant that kills free radicals. Obesity is a major cause of type-2 diabetes, and since the best sources of vitamin C are fruits and veggies, including more of it in your diet helps you to lose weight. Vitamin C also kills free radicals that are causing oxidative stress on your cells and can lead to insulin resistance. Include vitamin C in your diet by eating oranges, bell peppers, and leafy green veggies.