For Diabetics, Low-Carb Diet may be Best
Reported December 17, 2008
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — New research shows eating a diet lower in carbohydrates may help those with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar more than eating a high-fiber diet.
In a recent study at the University of Toronto, patients with type 2 diabetes who were put on a diet emphasizing low-glycemic foods like lentils, nuts, beans, peas and pumpernickel bread lowered their blood sugar and their risk of coronary heart disease more than patients on a high-cereal-fiber diet.
Participants in the low-glycemic diet lowered their HbA1c, a measurement of blood glucose, by 0.50 percent, whereas those in the high-fiber group lowered theirs by 0.18 percent. Those on the low-glycemic diet also saw an increase in their good cholesterol while the other group saw a decrease.
Study authors say experts still disagree over the effectiveness of low-glycemic diets even though they have been proposed as a strategy to improve diabetes control and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. The new research provides support for the diet.
“Lowglycemic index diets may be useful as part of the strategy to improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes taking antihyperglycemic medications,” study authors wrote.
SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association, 2008