Turmeric

"The popular Asian cooking spice, turmeric, may help prevent diabetes and help beneficially influence body composition"

Previous research has suggested that turmeric and its anti-oxidative ingredient, curcumin, can help reduce inflammation, help heal wounds and relieve pain.

For the most recent study, researchers from the Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center at Columbia University Medical Center evaluated the use of turmeric on rodent models and found that those treated with the popular curry spice were “less susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes” based on the findings of a blood glucose level test and an assessment of glucose and insulin tolerance."

In addition, the researchers report that obese mice given turmeric exhibited “a small but significant decline in body weight and fat content” and showed “significantly reduced inflammation in fat tissue and liver” when compared to obese mice not given the spice.