New information from the Black Women's Health Study shows that eating foods that have a lower glycemic index and increasing cereal fiber in a healthy diet can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
The Black Women's Health Study was started in 1995 and has followed 59,000 women for the past eight years. During that time, 1,938 women were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Women who ate more high glycemic foods and less fiber were more likely to develop diabetes.
What is the Glycemic Index?
Carbohydrates affect blood glucose levels at different rates. Foods are rated by the glycemic index, which measures how quickly it affects blood sugar. Basic, sliced white bread can have a GI of 70 or more, while a high fiber whole grain bread can have a GI of 40-50. The whole grain, high fiber bread causes a more gradual rise in postprandial blood glucose than the white bread would.
The other factor in the study that lowered risk of type 2 in the women was a high cereal-fiber diet. Cereal fiber is the fiber found in whole grains. Eating a high fiber diet lowers postprandial glucose levels, even in people without diabetes.
Read an abstract of the study, that appeared in this month's Archives of Internal Medicine...
- Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load, and Cereal Fiber Intake and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in US Black Women
More from your Diabetes Guide...
- What is the Glycemic Index?
- Fiber and Diabetes
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This is a great article.
High fiber foods, like Miracle Muffins miraclemuffins.com are another great way to help manage diabetes and weight loss.