Women can reduce their risk of developing diabetes by consuming food rich in antioxidants like red wine and dark chocolate, according to researchers.

This is because they are rich in antioxidants which are believed to help protect against the disease.

The study found women who consumed the most antioxidants reduced their risk of getting diabetes by 27% compared to those who didn't consume that much, the Daily Mail reported.

"This work complements our current knowledge of the effect of isolated foods and nutrients, and provides a more comprehensive view of the relationship between food and type 2 diabetes," co-author of the study Guy Fagherazzi, from the centre for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health in France, told the Daily Mail.

Adding, "We have shown that an increased intake of antioxidants can contribute to a reduction in diabetes risk."

Antioxidants found in dark chocolate can also protect the body from 'oxidative stress’, which is a type of damage to the cells which has a possibility of causing diabetes to develop.

The study also warns women not to go overboard when consuming wine and should stick to half a glass to a glass a day.

Even when family history of the disease and body mass index (BMI) was taken into account, diabetes risk was still reduced.

"We now need to find out more about the potential protective effects of these foods in everyone at risk of Type 2 diabetes," Pav Kalsi, senior clinical adviser at Diabetes UK told Daily Mail.

Antioxidants are also found in blueberries, tea, walnuts, prunes, strawberries and hazelnuts.

The study was originally published in the journal Diabetologia.