Mothers Veggie-Rich Diets May Protect Babies from Diabetes Mothers-to-be should eat a vegetable-rich diet in order to protect their babies from type 1 diabetes, according to results of a new study. Mothers who ate vegetables only three to five times per week increased the risk of type 1 diabetes in their children by 70 per cent, compared to women who consumed vegetables daily during pregnancy, according to findings published in Pediatric Diabetes. “Recently, flavonoids, the powerful antioxidants (found in fruits and vegetables), have been suggested to be potentially therapeutic agents for type 1 diabetes,” according to the researchers. The new study was performed in collaboration with Linkoping University, which is conducting a population study called ABIS (All Babies in Southeast Sweden).