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Soluble Fiber As Related To Diabetes
Soluble Fiber As Related To Glucose Metabolism
Diabetes currently affects over 200 million people worldwide and, according to WHO estimates, 2.5 to 15 per cent of annual national health budgets are spent on diabetes-related illnesses.
One in three Americans born in 2000 will develop diabetes, according to a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report which emphasizes the importance of preventing the disease.
“The estimated lifetime risk of developing diabetes for persons born in 2000 was 33% for males and 39% for females, based on data from the National Health Interview Survey, U.S. Census Bureau and other sources,” said K.M. Venkat Narayan, MD, Chief of Diabetes Epidemiology Section, Division of Diabetes Translation, CDC, in a recent interview. The highest estimated lifetime risks were among Hispanics 45% for males and 53% for females.
“Primary prevention of diabetes is thus an important priority for the nation,” emphasized Dr. Narayan, “because diabetes is one of the most prevalent and costly chronic diseases in the United States.”
More than 20 million Americans have diabetes. Nationally, diabetes has increased nearly 50% in the past 10 years alone, according to CDC estimates, and the incidence of the disease is expected to grow another 165% by 2050 under current trends. Study title: Lifetime Risk for Diabetes Mellitus in the United States. Abstract 967-P. Presented June 14th at the American Diabetes Association 63rd Annual Scientific Sessions.
As noted Type 2 diabetes has been on the rise in the United States in recent years. This condition occurs when insulin no longer effectively regulates blood sugar. Before people develop diabetes, however, they usually first develop symptoms that may lead to diabetes. These symptoms are grouped as the metabolic syndrome, and they include excess weight in the abdomen, high blood sugar, high blood pressure and low levels of good cholesterol. Preventing the metabolic syndrome from developing is a good way to prevent diabetes.
Everyone benefits from making fiber part of a daily diet. Now, fiber can also play a more specific role for people with Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes. Recent studies have indicated that a high intake of soluble fiber improves glycemic control and decreases plasma lipid concentrations.
Soluble fiber can help control erratic swings in blood sugar levels after meals by slowing down the body's absorption of glucose. This can help keep blood sugar levels more level throughout the day.
OVERT BENEFITS OF SOLUBLE FIBER
• Soluble fiber helps to keep insulin levels stabilized.
• Using fiber to help keep insulin levels stable helps to prevent secondary problems during any infectious period, and also facilitates the healing process.
• Soluble fiber helps the body handle changes in blood-sugar levels.
• A high caloric, sugary, low-fiber meal is absorbed quickly into the blood and causes a surge in blood-sugar levels. Soluble fiber moderates that post prandial rise in blood glucose
• Fiber slows down the transit time through the digestive tract.
All fibers come from plants (fruits/vegetables). All fruits and vegetables contain simple and or complex carbohydrates and contribute additional calories. As an example: Each soluble fiber gram from oatmeal is equated to 75 additional calories.
FOR DIABETICS:
Type-2, diabetes mellitus, is the most common form of diabetes. It is caused by the body's inability to burn off dietary sugars. Soluble fiber has been shown to slow down the digestion of carbohydrates (sugars), which results in better glucose metabolism. Some patients with the adult-onset diabetes may actually be successfully treated with a high-fiber diet and those on insulin may often be able to reduce their insulin requirements by adhering to a high-fiber diet.
Fiber can help diabetic-prone individuals in a number of ways: • First it helps control obesity, because the more fat the body has, the more insulin it needs to control glucose.
• Secondly, fiber inhibits or slows down the rate of sugars contained in foods-especially soluble fiber-and slows down the absorption of glucose from the small intestine.
• Soluble fiber helps rid the body of built-up excess cholesterol, which forms plaque in the arteries. This is very important for diabetics who are at greater risk for stroke and heart disease.
• For diabetics, fiber can reduce insulin requirements, improve glycemic control, lower cholesterol and triglyceride values, and promote weight loss.
FiberWater is an ideal way to increase one's fiber consumption without the additional calories and carbohydrates, while simultaneously meeting ones hydration requirements.
Reference Articles:
· Beneficial Effects Of High Fiber Intake In Patients With Type Two Diabetes Mellitus
(The New England Journal of Medicine)
· Importance Of Soluble Fiber In Relation To Diabetes
· Strong Evidence Links Soft Drink Consumption To Obesity And Diabetes
· Dietary Fiber And Reduced Risk Of Diabetes
· Obese Could Benefit From More Fiber
· Black Churches Enlist in Diabetes Fight
· North American Indians and Diabetes
· Syndrome X
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