Thursday, December 18, 2008

slower-to-digest = lower blood sugar for diabetics

A study done by researchers at the University of Toronto suggests that eating a diet rich in foods like nuts, beans, pasta, parboiled rice and lentils helps to control blood-sugar in type 2 diabetes sufferers. Half of the 210 participants followed this low glycemic-index, slow-to-digest diet regimen while the other half were advised to consume a healthy brown diet with whole grain breads, cereals, brown rice, and potatoes. Not only did the slower-to-digest diet help control blood sugar, it also lowered cholesterol levels, which of course cuts the risk of cardiovascular disease.

If the larger study the researchers have applied for a grant to perform yields the same results, and diabetes sufferers are able to adapt to a diet rich in these recommended foods, then I suppose this is good news. I can't help but wonder, however, if the introduction of nuts, beans, and lentils in turn created an absence of say... fast food or anything that could be considered less than healthy, and if there might be some other variables worthy of examination. Read more about the study here.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

People forget that heart disease is america's number 1 killer...and you get bet that's food related. (sorry mcDonalds, I still love your cheese burgers)

Anonymous said...

Yep. Heart disease, diabetes... I am not expert but the links between diet and these types of diseases are undeniable.