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High sugar consumption and high glycaemic index diets are risk factors for diabetes. Polyphenols can inhibit some carbohydrate digesting enzymes and sugar transport in the gut in vitro, and blunt post-prandial glucose spikes in humans. In this way, dietary polyphenols can attenuate digestion and absorption of sugars, and also protect against some of the deleterious effects of excess sugar. Further, in epidemiological studies, certain polyphenol-rich foods can protect against development of type 2 diabetes.