Fiber has no sex appeal. The admonition to eat more “roughage” is as old as the hills. Heard it a
million times. Been there, done that.
The problem is most people still aren’t doing it. In fact, though optimal health requires at least 30 g of fiber daily, Americans average one-third to one-half this amount.
Most of you know that adequate fiber intake ensures regularity and protects against disorders of the colon, from constipation to hemorrhoids to cancer. But did you know it also helps control blood sugar levels?
A high-fiber diet is a powerful type 2 diabetes treatment. In fact, it is a natural treatment for diabetes that we simply don’t talk enough about.
Fiber slows absorption of glucose in the gastrointestinal tract, promoting a gradual rise in blood sugar levels, followed by a gradual release in insulin. It also improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin, combating insulin resistance and helping insulin to do its job of ushering glucose into the cells.
In a study comparing diet containing either 24 or 50 g of fiber daily, blood glucose levels were reduced by 10 percent with the high-fiber diet—a blood sugar–lowering effect equal to that of oral diabetic drugs!
This high-fiber diet had an additional benefit that diabetes drugs can’t match: It significantly reduced levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.
The best type of fiber to help you lower blood sugar levels is soluble fiber—so called because it
“dissolves” or forms a gel-like substance in water. Foods rich in soluble fiber include legumes, apples, and citrus fruits. Make these health-enhancing foods part of your daily diet.
For more information on ways to control blood sugar, visit www.drwhitaker.com.
million times. Been there, done that.
The problem is most people still aren’t doing it. In fact, though optimal health requires at least 30 g of fiber daily, Americans average one-third to one-half this amount.
Most of you know that adequate fiber intake ensures regularity and protects against disorders of the colon, from constipation to hemorrhoids to cancer. But did you know it also helps control blood sugar levels?
A high-fiber diet is a powerful type 2 diabetes treatment. In fact, it is a natural treatment for diabetes that we simply don’t talk enough about.
Fiber slows absorption of glucose in the gastrointestinal tract, promoting a gradual rise in blood sugar levels, followed by a gradual release in insulin. It also improves the body’s sensitivity to insulin, combating insulin resistance and helping insulin to do its job of ushering glucose into the cells.
In a study comparing diet containing either 24 or 50 g of fiber daily, blood glucose levels were reduced by 10 percent with the high-fiber diet—a blood sugar–lowering effect equal to that of oral diabetic drugs!
This high-fiber diet had an additional benefit that diabetes drugs can’t match: It significantly reduced levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.
The best type of fiber to help you lower blood sugar levels is soluble fiber—so called because it
“dissolves” or forms a gel-like substance in water. Foods rich in soluble fiber include legumes, apples, and citrus fruits. Make these health-enhancing foods part of your daily diet.
For more information on ways to control blood sugar, visit www.drwhitaker.com.
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