A study published in the Dec. 17 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association said a diet of "low-glycemic foods" -- such as beans, nuts, peas, lentils -- was superior to a high-cereal-fiber diet when it comes to lowering blood sugar and other risk factors for heart disease in people with diabetes.
"This reemphasizes what we know -- at the end of the day, the best diet is the Mediterranean-type diet: nuts, beans, lentils, fruits, vegetables," said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of Women and Heart Disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, and a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association. "The study didn't exactly call it a Mediterranean diet, but the components of it were Mediterranean."
Although many drugs are available to control blood sugar levels, the evidence on how well they reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems isn't entirely clear. This makes a proper diet crucial to help control the disease. Carbohydrates in a low-glycemic-index diet are absorbed through the small intestine and converted to blood sugar at a slower rate than higher glycemic foods, meaning blood sugar is more stable, the researchers said.
Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, a longer-term measure of blood sugar levels, decreased by 0.5 percent in people on the low-glycemic-index diet, compared with a decrease of 0.18 percent in the alternate group. Those in the low-glycemic group also saw an increase in their high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good") cholesterol of 1.7 mg/dL, compared to an HDL decrease of 0.2 mg/dL in the high-cereal-fiber group.
Bonnie - this once again confirms the importance of what kind of carbohydrates are ideal to consume. Fantastic stuff. I am sick of hearing about the benefits of high fiber, whole grain cereals. Even the companies that manufacture them list their glycemic loads between 55% and 72%. No fruit or vegetable in it's natural state (not juiced or dried) is higher than 30% glycemic load.
So not just to prevent a higher amount of allergic and gluten intolerance reactions, at least 2/3 of all your carbs from fruits and vegetables goes a long way to prevent blood sugar and heart problems. This may sound familiar. It mirrors our Circle of Health Food Chart.
Note: for individuals who have high blood iron levels, avoid iron-fortified cereals.
"This reemphasizes what we know -- at the end of the day, the best diet is the Mediterranean-type diet: nuts, beans, lentils, fruits, vegetables," said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of Women and Heart Disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, and a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association. "The study didn't exactly call it a Mediterranean diet, but the components of it were Mediterranean."
Although many drugs are available to control blood sugar levels, the evidence on how well they reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems isn't entirely clear. This makes a proper diet crucial to help control the disease. Carbohydrates in a low-glycemic-index diet are absorbed through the small intestine and converted to blood sugar at a slower rate than higher glycemic foods, meaning blood sugar is more stable, the researchers said.
Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels, a longer-term measure of blood sugar levels, decreased by 0.5 percent in people on the low-glycemic-index diet, compared with a decrease of 0.18 percent in the alternate group. Those in the low-glycemic group also saw an increase in their high-density lipoprotein (HDL or "good") cholesterol of 1.7 mg/dL, compared to an HDL decrease of 0.2 mg/dL in the high-cereal-fiber group.
Bonnie - this once again confirms the importance of what kind of carbohydrates are ideal to consume. Fantastic stuff. I am sick of hearing about the benefits of high fiber, whole grain cereals. Even the companies that manufacture them list their glycemic loads between 55% and 72%. No fruit or vegetable in it's natural state (not juiced or dried) is higher than 30% glycemic load.
So not just to prevent a higher amount of allergic and gluten intolerance reactions, at least 2/3 of all your carbs from fruits and vegetables goes a long way to prevent blood sugar and heart problems. This may sound familiar. It mirrors our Circle of Health Food Chart.
Note: for individuals who have high blood iron levels, avoid iron-fortified cereals.
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