The drink, which is made up of fermented blackberries and blueberries, has been developed by researchers at the University of Illinois.
The berries are fermented at low temperatures, a process that produces more anthocyanins, antioxidants in the fruits’ pigments that increase insulin sensitivity, reduce blood glucose levels and improve insulin secretion.
The fermentation supercharges the fruits’ natural diabetes-beating qualities, the researchers say. Their drink is made up of 70 per cent fermented blackberries and 30 per cent fermented blueberries. Although de-alcoholised wines already exist for diabetics, most are made from grapes, and these don’t carry the same health-giving qualities as the berries, say the researchers.
(Source: Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 2016; 31: 45)