One of the most beneficial nutrients for a youthful appearance is resveratrol. This anti-aging powerhouse blocks free radical damage to your skin cells and helps restore elasticity. But that’s not all. This compound found in the skin of red grapes and berries has also been shown to reduce unhealthy blood sugar levels.

A study conducted at the University of Madras in India reveals that resveratrol helps normalize the levels of glucose, plasma insulin and hemoglobin—a protein found in red blood cells. By protecting these key blood cell compounds, you may avoid insulin-related problems such as decreased circulation, kidney damage, memory loss, digestive disorders, vision loss and weight gain.

According to research presented at the American Diabetes Association in 2006, Edward Park, Ph.D., and colleagues at Brock University in Canada found that resveratrol helps muscle cells intake normal amounts of insulin. This happens because resveratrol blocks the damaging effects of the free fatty acids on the muscle cells.

Resveratrol can also help protect the tissues of your liver, brain and skeletal muscle. Adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an enzyme found in these tissues. AMPK is also responsible for helping you avoid insulin resistance. By helping activate this essential enzyme AMPK, resveratrol may reduce blood sugar-related problems and boost the vitality of your essential organs and tissues.

Diabetes and blood sugar-related problems can also cause a great deal of pain to the patient when blood vessels leading to nerve endings become blocked. This can cause intense and painful burning sensations, usually in the legs and arms. Researchers at Panjab University in India discovered anti-inflammatory markers in resveratrol that helped significantly reduce the pain from nerve damage.

This shows that resveratrol may be one of the most powerful nutrients found in nature that can safely and effectively help regulate and control blood sugar levels for years to come. This could lead to a longer, healthier lifespan for you and your family.