Several studies have suggested that fiber intake is associated with decreased risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
Some researchers even suggest that intakes of >25 grams of fiber can lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 18%.
Fiber can cover many different forms, however, the key is to know that there are two types: soluble and insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber works by expanding and mixing with water that will not be absorbed but pass through the small intestine.
When this happens it slows the absorption of sugar and cholesterol that can help improve blood sugar levels and cholesterol levels.
If you wondering what foods contain soluble fiber they can be found in oats, apples, citrus fruits, peas, beans, carrots and psyllium.
This study published in the Nutrition Journal evaluated psyllium in patients with type 2 diabetes to determine if it could improve blood sugar and body weight (i.e. BMI) in patients.
Here are the study details:
– Study design: randomized controlled trial design
– Patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled
– Patients were >35 years old
– 20 males and 20 females were enrolled.
– 10.5 grams of soluble fiber in the form of psyllium was used daily.
Here are the main results of psyllium in diabetes patients:
– Psyllium reduced BMI significantly compared to the control group (p < 0.001) when compared with the control group.
– Fasting blood sugar (FBS) improved from 163 to 119 mg/dl
– Hemoglobin A1c improved from 8.5 to 7.5%
– Insulin level decreased from 27.9 to 19.7 μIU/mL
– C-peptide improved from 5.8 to 3.8ng/ml
– HOMA.IR improved from 11.3 to 5.8
– HOMA-β % 103 to 141 %.
Take away message: The majority of the US population is deficient in fiber. Recommendations can be as high as 25 grams per day while many people only consume a fraction of that daily. If you have never added up how much fiber you eat in one day you should try it. The benefits of fiber are many but this study provides further evidence that soluble fiber improves blood glucose and body weight.
Psyllium and soluble fibers can improve blood glucose by slowing the absorption of sugar which prevents large sugar spikes. The other benefits of soluble fiber is people tend to eat less because it gives you that ‘full’ feeling.
When starting a soluble fiber make sure to start with a low dose (e.g. 3-5 grams) and after a week increase it again slowly. This can give your body some time to adjust to the higher intake of fiber and prevent upset stomach or cramping. Also, this is best to take with a meal since it interacting with the sugar and cholesterol in your food.
Reference: Soluble fibers from psyllium improve glycemic response and body weight among diabetes type 2 patients (randomized control trial). Nutrition Journal 2016 Volume 15:86
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Blood sugar, Body weight, Fiber, Plant Medicine