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Type 2 diabetes can prove detrimental if blood sugar levels are left to their own devices. People with the blood sugar condition have to find alternative ways of countering blood sugar spikes as they lack a hormone called insulin which usually takes care of this job. Fortunately, a doctor has shared the six foods that could help.
Informed dietary choices are one of the greatest weapons you can add to your arsenal of protection against blood sugar spikes when you have type 2 diabetes.
According to Dr Caitlin Hall, Chief Dietitian and Head of Clinical Research at Myota, the following foods could do this with gusto:
- Oats
- Barley
- Nuts
- Pulses (lentils and beans)
- Parsnips
- Chicory root.
The reason why these six options offer beneficial effects for your blood sugar comes down to their content of prebiotic fibre.
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Dr Hall said: “Foods that are high in prebiotic fibre have an important role to play in reducing high blood sugar.
“Prebiotic fibres interact with water in the gut to form a gel-like substance.
“In this gel-like form, the emptying of the stomach and the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream occurs at a much slower and gradual rate, preventing blood sugar spikes.
“This slow rise in blood glucose allows insulin – a hormone that moves glucose from the blood into cells – to do its job more efficiently.”
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While the exact effect of prebiotic fibre on your blood sugar will depend on your unique metabolism and gut microbiome, research suggests some promising effects.
The doctor said: “One study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, found that consuming 10 grams of inulin, a type of prebiotic fibre, per day for two weeks reduced postprandial (after-meal) blood sugar levels by 8.5 percent in overweight adults.
“Another study, published in the same journal, found that consuming 21 grams of oligofructose, another type of prebiotic fibre, per day for four weeks reduced fasting blood sugar levels by 7.6 percent in adults with type 2 diabetes.”
The expert added that some degree of reduction in blood sugar spikes will be experienced every time you include a source of prebiotic fibre in your meal.
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When it comes to the exact amount you should consume, Dr Hall said the general guideline is set at around five to 25 grams of prebiotic fibre per day.
She said: “For example, the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) recommends a daily intake of at least five grams of prebiotic fibre to support gut health.
“The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics suggests a daily intake of 25 to 38 grams of fibre for adults, including both prebiotic and non-prebiotic fibre.”
What’s more, regularly consuming enough could even help prevent type 2 diabetes, the doctor added.
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