Recent research suggests that green leafy vegetables in the diet could reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. A research team at the University of Leicester reviewed six studies involving more than 220,000 people to figure out possible links between fruits and vegetables and insulin deficiency.

And their inference was simple - eat a serving and half of leafy vegetables each day and cut down the risk of diabetes by as much as 14 percent. The study suggested that more than 80 percnet of adults across the UK ate less than five servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

The study, published in the BMJ or the British Medical Journal, suggests that fruits and vegetables can prevent several other chronic diseases because of their high content of antioxidants.

While spinach and similar green vegetables can help cut down type 2 diabetes because of their containing high levels of polyphenols and vitamin C, their antioxidant properties and the presence of magnesium further cuts down the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The researchers have suggested that medical practitioners should provide tailor-made diet plans for people to encourage them towards having more green leafy vegetables in their daily diet. The study was carried out by a team headed by Patrice Carter, a research nutritionist at the University of Leicester.

Despite strong evidence to connect fruits and vegetables to a reduced risk of diabetes, the study has raised a few queries related to the inferences. There have been concerns over the limited sample size of the study and the fact that the latest research does not assess any risks of eating fruit and vegetables.

However, the research team believes that their work will pave the way for further extensive research to understand the exact mechanisms that suggests a direct link between having leafy vegetables and reducing the risk of diabetes.