Chili Peppers

Making chili pepper a frequently enjoyed spice in your Healthiest Way of

Eating could help reduce your risk of hyperinsulinemia (high blood levels of
insulin) a disorder associated with type 2 diabetes.
In a study published in the July 2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, Australian researchers showed that the amount of insulin required to
lower blood sugar after a meal is reduced if the meal contains chili pepper.
When chili-containing meals are a regular part of the diet, insulin requirements
drop even lower.
Plus, chili's beneficial effects on insulin needs get even better as body mass
index (BMI, a measure of obesity) increases. In overweight people, not only
do chili-containing meals significantly lower the amount of insulin required to
lower blood sugar levels after a meal, but chili-containing meals also result in
a lower ratio of C-peptide/ insulin, an indication that the rate at which the liver
is clearing insulin has increased.
The amount of C-peptide in the blood also shows how much insulin is being
produced by the pancreas. The pancreas produces proinsulin, which splits
into insulin and C-peptide when secreted into the bloodstream. Each molecule
of proinsulin breaks into one molecule of C-peptide and one molecule of
insulin, so less C-peptide means less insulin has been secreted into the
bloodstream.
In this study, which involved 36 subjects aged 22-70 years, the effects of three
interventions were evaluated. Subjects were given a bland meal after a bland
diet containing no spices, a chili-containing meal after a bland diet, and finally,
a chili-containing meal after a chili-containing diet. A palatable chili flavoring,
not pure capsaicin (the active component in chili), was used.
Blood sugar rose similarly after all three interventions, but insulin rose the
most after the bland meal after a bland diet and the least after the chili-
containing meal after a chili-rich diet.
The maximum increases in insulin after the bland diet followed by a chili-
containing meal were 15% lower than after the bland meal following a bland
diet, and 24% lower after the chili-containing meal after a chili-rich diet
compared to the chili-containing meal after the bland diet.
C-peptide blood levels also increased the most after the bland meal after a
bland diet and the least after the chili-containing meal after a chili-rich diet,
showing the least insulin was secreted after the chili-rich diet and meal.
In addition, the C-peptide/insulin ratio was highest after the chili-containing
meal after a chili-rich diet, indicating an increase in the liver's ability to clear
insulin.
Besides capsaicin, chilies contain antioxidants, including vitamin C and
carotenoids, which might also help improve insulin regulation. So, spice up
your meals with chili peppers. Your body will need to make less insulin and
will use it more effectively.
Legumes
Hidden inside the humble, unassuming bean, or lentil, or pea, lies one of the
best nutritional treatments available for type 2 diabetes. Packed inside these
legumes is just the right blend of fiber, protein, and nutrients to have the
profound effect on blood sugar regulation that modern drugs have yet to
achieve; and legumes have no harmful side effects.
Study after study has demonstrated that beans can help with blood
sugar control better than any other food available. While many meals lead
to sharp rises in blood sugar and blood insulin levels, a meal with legumes
does not cause this. Instead, the rise in blood sugar is slow and not very high,
which leads to a much lesser rise in blood insulin levels.
A meal containing beans can even have a positive effect on the blood sugar
response to the next meal eaten, even if the next meal does not contain
beans. Beans can be mixed with a number of different types of foods and still
maintain their excellent effects on blood glucose levels.
In addition to containing fiber and numerous vital nutrients, legumes are
also a great source of high-quality protein. They can very easily be used
as a replacement for animal protein, which has been shown to cause
problems for diabetic patients. The variety of legumes available, such as
black beans, white beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, red beans, chickpeas,
green peas, red lentils, French lentils, and soybeans, can keep your diet both
interesting and healthy.
Soybeans, in particular, may help protect against diabetes-related kidney and
heart disease. A small clinical trial conducted on type 2 diabetes patients with
nephropathy (diabetes-related kidney damage) suggests that soy protein can
help protect diabetics' hearts and kidneys from damage caused by the
disease. The study, a randomized crossover clinical trial, was conducted on
14 type 2 diabetes patients (10 men, 4 women) receiving medical care at an
educational university hospital and private kidney disease clinic in Tehran. For
the first seven weeks, patients followed a diet typically recommended to
control nephropathy, which included 0.8 grams/kilogram of protein, based on
70% animal and 30% vegetable protein. After a washout period during which
study subjects ate their pre-study diet, they were readmitted for another 7
week cycle, this time consuming a diet containing 35% soy protein and 30%
vegetable protein. Following the soy diet, all patients experienced significant
reductions in total cholesterol, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol, while levels of
beneficial HDL cholesterol remained stable and renal function improved.
Researchers concluded, "Soy inclusion in the diet can modify the risk factors
of heart disease and improve kidney function in these patients."
Another study, this one conducted at the University of Illinois and
published in the August 2004 issue of the J ournal of Nutrition, provides
more evidence that soy protein helps persons with diabetes prevent
kidney disease and improve their cholesterol profile. This study, a seven
month crossover trial, involved 14 men with type 2 diabetes and kidney
disease. After the first month, during which baseline measurements were
established for each man, they were divided into two groups, one of which
received a daily serving of vanilla flavored protein powder made from soy
protein while the other group was given protein powder containing casein (the
primary protein in cow's milk). After eight weeks, the men were given no
protein powder for four weeks and then switched over to the other protein
powder for eight weeks. Serving size of both types of protein was 0.5g/kg/day.
While on the soy protein, the men's urinary albumin concentrations decreased
by 9.5% but increased by 11.1% while on the casein diet. Higher amounts of
albumin in the urine are a marker for deterioration in kidney function.
In addition, blood levels of beneficial HDL-cholesterol increased by 4.3% after
the soy protein diet but tended to be lower after casein consumption.
Why were these beneficial effects seen with soy? The authors suggest that
soy's isoflavones may be responsible for the improvement in cholesterol
profile, while soy's higher levels of the amino acid arginine, a chemical
precursor to a molecule called nitric oxide that dilates arteries, are
responsible for improving blood flow in the kidney and thus kidney
function. Their conclusion: a simple dietary modification adding soy
protein foods to the diet could help persons with diabetics prevent
kidney disease and improve their cholesterol profile.
Whole Grains
Whole grain foods have come a long way since the days of the hard,
flavorless bran muffin. Now you can find whole wheat bread, whole grain
crackers, whole grain pastas, brown rice, barley soups, quinoa
vegetable salads, amaranth breakfast cereals, numerous flavors of
granola, and many other delicious whole-grain products.
Whole grains are very high in fiber, especially insoluble fiber. Certain grains,
like oats and barley, are also high in soluble fiber. Since both types of fiber
are helpful for people with diabetes, a good mix of whole grains is
recommended.
Grains also contain many other vitamins and minerals needed by the body for
healthy function. Refined grains, on the other hand, have been stripped of
their nutrients and fiber and are very detrimental to diabetic patients. They can
cause blood sugar levels to quickly rise to very high levels, which makes
insulin levels rise rapidly as well. Alternatively, researchers are now
suggesting that whole grains' ability to improve insulin sensitivity may
be an important mechanism through which they reduce the risk of type 2
diabetes.
By replacing products made with refined flours and grains with whole
grain foods, you can prevent high blood sugar spikes and improve your
blood sugar control.
Among the minerals for which whole grains are an excellent source is
magnesium, which acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes, including
enzymes involved in the body's use of glucose and insulin secretion.
The FDA permits foods that contain at least 51% whole grains by weight
(and are also low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol) to display a health
claim stating consumption is linked to lower risk of heart disease and
certain cancers. Now, research suggests regular consumption of whole
grains also reduces risk of type 2 diabetes. (van Dam RM, Hu
FB, Diabetes Care).
In this 8-year trial, involving 41,186 particpants of the Black Women's Health
Study, research data confirmed inverse associations between magnesium,
calcium and major food sources in relation to type 2 diabetes that had already
been reported in predominantly white populations.
Risk of type 2 diabetes was 31% lower in black women who frequently ate
whole grains compared to those eating the least of these magnesium-rich
foods. When the women's dietary intake of magnesium intake was considered
by itself, a beneficial, but lesser 19% reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes
was found, indicating that whole grains offer special benefits in promoting
healthy blood sugar control. Daily consumption of low-fat dairy foods was
also helpful, lowering risk of type 2 diabetes by 13%.
Two recent studies suggest that buckwheat and barley may be
particularly good whole grain choices.
Canadian researchers, publishing their findings in the December 2003 issue
of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry have found new evidence
that buckwheat may be helpful in the management of diabetes. In a placebo-
controlled study, a single dose of buckwheat seed extract lowered blood
glucose levels by 12-19% at 90 and 120 minutes after administration when fed
to rats with chemically-induced diabetes. No glucose reduction was seen in
rats given placebo. The component in buckwheat responsible for its blood
glucose-lowering effects appears to be chiro-inositol, a compound that has
been shown in other animal and human studies to play a significant role in
glucose metabolism and cell signaling. While researchers do not yet know
precisely how it works, preliminary evidence suggests chiro-inositol makes
cells more sensitive to insulin and may even act as an insulin mimic. Results
of the Canadian study were so promising that one of the lead investigators,
Roman Przbylski, is currently collaborating with Canadian-based Kade
Research to develop new buckwheat varieties with much higher amounts of
chiro-inositol. Although the rats used in this study had the equivalent of Type 1
diabetes in humans, the researchers are confident that buckwheat will exert
similar glucose-lowering effects when given to rats with Type 2 diabetes,
which is the next study on their agenda. Type 2 diabetes, which is by far the
most common form in humans (90% of diabetes in humans is Type 2), is
characterized by an inability of cells to respond properly to insulin.
In a human study conducted by the Agricultural Research Service at the Diet
and Human Performance Laboratory in Beltsville, MD, and published in the
June 2005 issue of the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, barley
was much more effective in reducing both glucose and insulin responses than
oats.
In this study, which involved 10 overweight women (mean age: 50 years, body
mass index: 30), subjects ate a controlled diet for 2 days and were then given,
in rotation, glucose alone and then 4 test meals in which 2/3 of the
carbohydrate came first from oat flour then oatmeal, barley flour or barley
flakes.
Glucose responses were reduced after test meals by both oats and barley,
although more by barley (29-36% by oats and 59-65% by barley). Insulin
responses after test meals were significantly reduced only by barley (44-56%).
Interestingly, whether the oats or barley was consumed in the form of meal,
flakes or flour had little effect. What seems to have been responsible for
barley's significantly greater effectiveness in reducing both glucose and insulin
responses is barley's soluble fiber content. The barley used in the study (a
cultivar called Prowashonupana) contains more than 4 times the soluble fiber
of common oats.
Fruits and Vegetables
The incredible variety of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables currently available at
your local grocery store is staggering. Fruits and vegetables contain many
other vital nutrients such as antioxidant vitamins like vitamin E, C, and beta-
carotene, which are needed to neutralize free radicals.
Fruits and vegetables also contain bioflavonoids, which exert powerful
antioxidant effects in the body. Although sweet in flavor, fruits have actually
been shown to have stabilizing effects on blood sugar levels when consumed
in small amounts at a time. Fructose, the main sugar found in fruits, does not
cause blood sugar levels to rise as much as refined sugar when it is eaten in
the form of portion-controlled fresh fruit.
Fruits and vegetables are delicious accompaniments to legumes, whole
grains, and fish. They can be eaten raw, lightly steamed, simmered in soups
and stews, baked, roasted, or even shish kabobbed. Diabetics should try to
eat a wide variety of different fruits and vegetables, and to control fruit portion
sizes since this will ensure a well-rounded intake of many nutrients and
bioflavonoids.
Note: Dried fruits and fruit juices are not good choices for diabetics. In the
case of dried fruits, with the watery portion of the whole food removed, the
sugar concentration is simply too high. In the case of fruit juices, too much of
the whole food fiber and related nutrients have been removed, which
concentrates the sugar.
Cherries Fight Diabetes and Feed Your Sweet
Tooth
Anthocyanins, plant pigments found in cherries and other red and purple
fruits, may help lower blood sugar levels in people with diabetes, suggests
laboratory research published in the January 2005 issue of the Journal of
Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
When researchers at Michigan State University exposed rodent pancreatic
cells to anthocyanins, insulin production increased 50%.
The mechanism of action by which anthocyanins boost insulin production is
not yet known, but the Michigan research team is currently feeding
anthocyanins to a group of obese, diabetic mice to determine precisely how
the plant compounds affect insulin levels in live subjects. Not only are
anthocyanins capable of increasing insulin production, they are potent
antioxidants that studies are increasingly associated with numerous health
benefits, including protection against heart disease and cancer.
Fish
When was the last time you had a big plate of fresh baked pink salmon fillet?
It shouldn't have been too long ago if you have type 2 diabetes. Fish be an
important ingredient in the diets of diabetic patients, replacing other meats
and sources of fats.
Fish are very high in omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to be
helpful in diabetes. In fact, several studies have shown that type 2 diabetes
occurs much less frequently in populations that eat fish regularly compared to
populations that don't eat much fish.
Regular fish consumption is especially beneficial for postmenopausal women
with diabetes since it significantly reduces the progression of atherosclerosis
in this population, shows a Tufts University study published in the September
2004 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
This three year study included 229 women with atherosclerosis, 42% of whom
also had diabetes. Although new atherosclerotic lesions were seen in all the
women, regardless of fish intake, those who consumed 2 or more servings of
fish per week had significantly fewer lesions especially if at least one
serving was chosen from fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon,
tuna, mackerel or sardines.
Women with diabetes eating less than 2 servings of fish experienced an
average 4.54% increase in stenosis (thickening and restriction) in their
arteries, compared to an average increase of only 0.06% in women eating 2
servings of any fish per week.
In diabetic women eating less than 1 serving of omega-3-rich fish per week,
stenosis increased 5.12% compared to a 0.35% increase in those who ate 1
or more servings of omega-3-rich fish each week.
Eating fish rich in omega-3s is so beneficial because these fats:
lower the amount of lipids (fats such as cholesterol and triglycerides)
circulating in the bloodstream
decrease platelet aggregation, preventing excessive blood clotting
inhibit thickening of the arteries by decreasing endothelial cells'
production of a platelet-derived growth factor (the lining of the arteries is
composed of endothelial cells)
increase the activity of another chemical derived from endothelial cells
(endothelium-derived nitric oxide), which causes arteries to relax and
dilate
reduce the production of messenger chemicals called cytokines, which
are involved in the inflammatory response associated with
atherosclerosis
Omega 3s Help Prevent Obesity and Improve
Insulin Response
Research presented in December 2004 at the 6th Congress of the
International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids suggests that
while saturated fats appear to promote weight gain, the omega 3 fats found in
cold water fish, such as tuna, reduce the risk of becoming obese and improve
the body's ability to respond to insulin. The reason why? The omega 3 fatty
acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) stimulates the secretion of leptin, a
hormone that helps regulate food intake, body weight and metabolism, and is
expressed primarily by adipocytes (fat cells).
Fish are also high in protein and other essential nutrients. It's important for
diabetic patients to replace other animal sources of protein with fish. Simply
adding fish to a diet that is already high in animal protein and fat may have
harmful effects.
Olive Oil
While fat intake in general should be kept fairly low in diabetes, using
some olive oil can be beneficial. Heavy corn oil dressing can drown a fresh
green salad, but pure extra virgin olive oil in a lemon or balsamic vinaigrette
adds a light yet flavorful touch to any salad.
Studies have shown that meals containing olive oil have better effects on
blood sugar than meals low in fat. In addition, olive oil may be able to help
raise levels of HDL (the good cholesterol).
Olive oil helps prevent belly fat and improves insulin sensitivity. Belly fat is
associated with insulin resistance, which leads to further weight gain and
increases risk of type 2 diabetes.
When researchers fed type 2 diabetic patients different diets a high
carbohydrate diet, or a diet rich in either saturated fat or olive oil
(Mediterranean diet) the high carb diet increased abdominal fat compared
to the fat-rich diets. Of the three diets, the diet rich in olive oil did best,
preventing not only belly fat accumulation, but the insulin resistance and drop
in adiponectin seen after the high carbohydrate diet meals. Adiponectin, a
hormone produced and secreted by fat cells (adipocytes), regulates sugar and
fat metabolism, improves insulin sensitivity, and has antiinflammatory effects
on the cells lining the blood vessel walls. Low blood levels of adiponectin are
a marker for metabolic syndrome, are common in obesity, and are also
associated with increased heart attack risk. Diabetes Care. 2007
Jul;30(7):1717-23. Epub 2007 Mar 23.
However, olive oil, though more stable than some oils, can still be damaged
by heat. Heating olive oil to high temperatures can damage it, producing free
radicals that have negative health effects. Olive oil should therefore not be
used while cooking, but should instead be added to the dish after the cooking
is done or should be used in dressings and uncooked sauces.
Olive oil should also not be added to a diet already high in fats. The extra
calories can actually make diabetes worse. Instead, use olive oil to replace
other oils, like corn, sunflower, or safflower oil, and other sources of fat, such
as the saturated fats found in meat and dairy products, or the unhealthy trans
fats found in margarines.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon may help people with type 2 diabetes improve their ability to
respond to insulin, thus normalizing their blood sugar levels. Both test tube
and animal studies have shown that compounds in cinnamon not only
stimulate insulin receptors, but also inhibit an enzyme that inactivates them,
thus significantly increasing cells' ability to use glucose. Studies to confirm
cinnamon's beneficial actions in humans are currently underway.
Additional test tube, animal and human studies have all recently investigated
cinnamon's ability to improve insulin activity, and thus our cells' ability to
absorb and use glucose from the blood.
On going in vitro or test tube research conducted by Richard Anderson and
his colleagues at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center is providing
new understanding of the mechanisms through which cinnamon enhances
insulin activity. In their latest paper, published in the Journal of Agricultural
and Food Chemistry, Anderson et al. characterize the insulin-enhancing
complexes in cinnamon a collection of catechin/epicatechin oligomers that
increase the body's insulin-dependent ability to use glucose roughly 20-fold.
Some scientists had been concerned about potentially toxic effects of
regularly consuming cinnamon. This new research shows that the potentially
toxic compounds in cinnamon bark are found primarily in the lipid (fat) soluble
fractions and are present only at very low levels in water soluble cinnamon
extracts, which are the ones with the insulin-enhancing compounds.
A recent animal study demonstrating cinnamon's beneficial effects on insulin
activity appeared in the December 2003 issue of Diabetes Research and
Clinical Practice. In this study, when rats were given a daily dose of cinnamon
(300 mg per kilogram of body weight) for a 3 week period, their skeletal
muscle was able to absorb 17% more blood sugar per minute compared to
that of control rats, which had not received cinnamon, an increase
researchers attributed to cinnamon's enhancement of the muscle cells' insulin-
signaling pathway. In humans with type 2 diabetes, consuming as little as 1
gram of cinnamon per day was found to reduce blood sugar, triglycerides,
LDL (bad) cholesterol, and total cholesterol, in a study published in the
December 2003 issue of Diabetes Care. The placebo-controlled study
evaluated 60 people with type 2 diabetes (30 men and 30 women ranging in
age from 44 to 58 years) who were divided into 6 groups. Groups 1, 2, and 3
were given 1, 3, or 6 grams of cinnamon daily, while groups 4, 5, and 6
received 1, 3 or 6 grams of placebo. After 40 days, all three levels of
cinnamon reduced blood sugar levels by 18-29%, triglycerides 23-30%, LDL
cholesterol 7-27%, and total cholesterol 12-26%, while no significant changes
were seen in those groups receiving placebo. The researchers' conclusion:
including cinnamon in the diet of people with type 2 diabetes will reduce risk
factors associated with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Seasoning a high carb food with cinnamon can help lessen its impact on
blood sugar levels. Cinnamon slows the rate at which the stomach empties
after meals, reducing the rise in blood sugar after eating. Researchers
measured how quickly the stomach emptied after 14 healthy subjects ate 300
grams (1.2 cups) of rice pudding alone or seasoned with 6 grams (1.2
teaspoons) of cinnamon. Adding cinnamon to the rice pudding lowered the
gastric emptying rate from 37% to 34.5% and significantly lessened the rise in
blood sugar levels after eating. Am J Clin Nutr. 2 007 Jun;85(6):1552-6.
Garlic
Cardiovascular disease is a well-known side-effect of diabetes, but garlic may
provide some protection, according to a study published December 2003.
When diabetic rats were given garlic extract for an 8-week period, the
hyperreactivity of their blood vessels to noradrenaline (a vasoconstrictive
hormone) and acetylcholine (a compound involved in nerve transmission) was
significantly lessened. According to the researchers, their results suggest that
garlic may help prevent the development of abnormal vascular contraction
seen in diabetics.
Tomato Juice
Tomato juice may also be protective. Tomato juice is an effective blood
thinner in persons with type 2 diabetes, suggests Australian research
published in the August 2004 issue of the prestigious Journal of the American
Medical Association. In this study, 20 people with type 2 diabetes were given
250 ml (about 8 ounces) of tomato juice or a tomato-flavored placebo daily.
Subjects had no history of clotting problems and were taking no medications
that would affect blood clotting ability. After just 3 weeks, platelet aggregation
(the clumping together of blood cells) was significantly reduced among those
drinking real tomato juice, while no such effect was noted in those receiving
placebo. Be sure to choose a low-sodium tomato juice; many "regular" tomato
juice products are loaded with artery-unfriendly sodium.
Walnuts
One of the most feared complications of diabetes is the increased risk of
cardiovascular disease: 65% of Americans with diabetes die of heart disease.
Fortunately, just enjoying a handful of walnuts each day can help lower a
diabetic's heart disease risk.
Walnuts are an especially rich source of polyunsaturated fatty acids,
specifically alpha linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid highly protective
against heart disease.
In patients with type 2 diabetes, including a daily ounce of walnuts in a diet in
which 30% of calories came from fat translated into a significant improvement
in subjects' cholesterol profile.
In this study, published in the December 2004 issue of Diabetes Care, 58 men
and women with an average age of 59 years, were assigned to one of three
diets in which 30% of calories was derived from fat: a low fat diet, a modified
low fat diet, and a modified low fat diet including an ounce of walnuts per day.
After 6 months, those on the walnut diet had achieved a significantly greater
increase in their HDL-to-total cholesterol ratio than the other groups, plus
walnut eaters saw a 10% reduction in their LDL cholesterol. Why such benefit
from walnuts? Most likely because walnuts are exceptionally high in their
content of monounsaturated fat and the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic
acid. Plus, walnuts combine these heart healthy fats with a hefty dose of the
antioxidants including at least 16 antioxidant phenols, vitamin E, ellagic and
gallic acid.
New research continues to show that when walnuts are eaten as part of a
modified low-fat diet, the result is a more cardiprotective fat profile in diabetic
patients than can be achieved by simply lowering the fat content of the diet. In
a study published in the July 2005 issue of the Journal of the American
Dietetic Association, all 55 study participants with type 2 diabetes were put on
low fat diets, but the only group to achieve a cardioprotective fat profile (less
than 10% of calories from saturated fat, 7-10% of calories from
polyunsaturated fats, adequate omega-3 fats, and an omega-6:omega-3 ratio
of less than 10) were those who ate walnuts (30 grams about one ounce
per day).
Almonds Provide Double-Barreled Protection
against Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease
Lessening after-meal surges in blood sugar helps protect against diabetes
and cardiovascular disease, most likely by lessening the increase in
cholesterol-damaging free radicals that accompanies large elevations in blood
sugar. This is one reason why low- glycemic index diets result in lower risk of
diabetes and heart disease.
Almonds appear to not only decrease after-meal rises in blood sugar, but also
provide antioxidants to mop up the smaller amounts of free radicals that still
result. (Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Journal of Nutrition)
Researchers fed 15 healthy subjects 5 meals providing a comparable amount
of carbohydrate, fat and protein: 3 test meals (almonds and bread, parboiled
rice, and instant mashed potatoes) and 2 bread control meals. Blood samples,
taken before each meal and 4 hours afterwards, showed levels of protective
antioxidants increased after the almond meal, but decreased after the other
meals. And not only did the almond meal increase antioxidant levels, but
unlike the other foods, almonds also lowered the rise in blood sugar and
insulin seen after eating.
Further research shows that eating almonds along with a high glycemic index
food significantly lowers the glycemic index of the meal and lessens the rise in
blood sugar after eating. (Jones AR, Kendall CW, Metabolism)
In this study, after an overnight 10-12 hour fast, 9 healthy volunteers were
randomly fed 3 test meals and 2 white bread (high glycemic) control meals on
separate days. Each meal contained 50 grams of carbohydrate from white
bread eaten either alone or in combination with 1, 2, or 3 ounces of almonds.
To check subjects' rise in blood sugar, blood samples were taken for glucose
analysis immediately after eating, and at 15, 30, 45, 60, 90 and 120 minutes.
Eating almonds reduced the glycemic index (GI) of the meal and subjects' rise
in blood sugar in a dose-dependent manner the more almonds consumed,
the lower the meal's GI and the less the rise in subjects' blood sugar after
eating.
When one-ounce of almonds was eaten along with white bread, the GI of the
meal (105.8) was comparable to eating white bread alone, but when two
ounces of almonds were consumed with the white bread, the GI dropped to
63, and when 3 ounces of almonds were eaten, the GI was only 45.2 less
than half the GI of the white bread only meal.
Subjects' blood sugar rose 2.8 mmol/L after eating only white bread. When
one ounce of almonds was eaten with the bread, blood sugar rose 2.2
mmol/L. Eating two ounces of almonds with the bread resulted in a rise in
blood sugar of 2.0 mmol/L, and eating three ounces of almonds caused blood
sugar to rise only 1.6 mmol/L less than half the rise seen after eating white
bread alone. Practical Tip: So, don't just enjoy almonds as a between-meal
snack. Spread a little almond butter on your toast or down the center of a stalk
of celery. Add a handful of lightly roasted almonds to your salad or chop and
use as a topping for pasta, steamed or healthy sauted vegetables. When
eating foods with a higher glycemic index, including almonds in the meal can
help keep your blood sugar under control.
Nutrients in Foods That May Help Include:
Fiber
Many studies have shown that a diet high in fiber has beneficial effects on
diabetes. In particular, a fiber-rich meal leads to a much smaller rise in blood
sugar and blood insulin levels compared to a meal low in fiber.
One theory suggests fiber slows down the rate at which sugar is absorbed in
the gut, so blood sugar rises more slowly, which also results in blood insulin
levels rising more slowly. Fiber also seems to help cells absorb glucose more
easily. Diets high in fiber are associated with a much lower risk of developing
diabetes than the standard low-fiber American diet.
A second role of fiber that appears important is its role in preventing excessive
inflammation. The connection between fiber and inflammation is very likely to
involve intestinal bacteria. Several types of fiber can be consumed by bacteria
in the lower intestine and converted into a short chain fatty acid called butyric
acid. Not only can this fatty acid be used by cells in the lower intestine for
energy, but it can also block inflammatory responses. Some studies suggest
that approximately 20 grams of daily fiber may be required to achieve these
anti-inflammatory benefits.
The two main types of fiber are soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber
is the kind of fiber found mostly in fruits and vegetables, legumes, and certain
grains like oats and barley. Insoluble fiber is found mainly in other kinds of
whole grains.
Because these two types of fiber have slightly different actions in the body, it's
important for diabetic patients to get a good mix of both. This can be easily
achieved by eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.
Some excellent food sources of fiber include raspberries, mustard greens,
turnip greens, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, and Swiss chard.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fats because they're needed by
the body for daily activities and cannot be made from other nutrients but must
be derived from the diet. In particular, the body uses omega-3 fats for making
healthy, appropriately permeable cell membranes and blood vessels. Healthy
cell membranes are able to appropriately respond to insulin and therefore
absorb glucose better.
In addition, omega-3 fats have been shown to reduce the risk of
atherosclerosis and heart disease and prevent poor blood circulation in
diabetics. In addition, omega-3 fats can lower high triglyceride levels, another
risk factor for heart disease commonly seen in diabetic patients.
Food sources of omega-3 fatty acids should be used to replace other high-fat
foods in the diet, such as fatty meats and dairy products. Simply adding
omega-3 fats to a diet that is already high in fat will not be helpful.
Food sources of omega-3 fatty acids include flax seeds, walnuts, and cold
water fish, likesalmon, cod, and halibut.