Eating low glycemic index foods such as peanut butter, yogurt, beans and broccoli
along with a diet high in cereal fiber can significantly reduce the risk of non-insulin-dependent
diabetes in women, according to a new Harvard School of Public Health study recently
published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The study consisted of 65,173 American women, aged 40 - 65, who were free
from diagnosed cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. During six years
of follow-up, 915 cases of diabetes were documented among the women.
The study supported the well-known risk factors for non-insulin-dependent
diabetes of age, obesity, family history, smoking and sedentary lifestyle.
It also supported diet as a risk factor: a diet high in sugar and low in
cereal fiber was significantly linked to an increased risk of diabetes.
Basically, a diet high in sugar (a high glycemic index) and low in fiber
triggers the body to increase production of insulin in an attempt to regulate
blood sugar. A chronic high demand for insulin may lead to insulin resistance
and a lessened ability to produce insulin. Non-insulin-dependent diabetes
may follow.
In the U.S., up to 16 million people may be suffering from diabetes — more
than three-quarters from non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Non-insulin-dependent
diabetes commonly goes into remission with proper diet, weight loss and exercise.
The glucose in low glycemic index foods, such as peanut butter, is digested
more slowly leading to a gradual increase in blood sugar. For this reason,
low glycemic index foods are recommended to help control both non-insulin-dependent
and insulin-dependent diabetes.
The diet recommended for diabetics is not a "special" diet. It
is the same kind of healthful eating plan that is recommended for everybody
- high in fiber and low in sugar and fat.
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