Most People diagnosed with T2 Diabetes need much more of this
I am a huge advocate of the concept that food can be medicine and can really contribute to optimum health eliminating or lessening the need for medicine.
As well as eating nutritious foods another very important consideration in terms of blood sugar management, weight management and digestion is all important fibre. Rather than taking it synthetically we should ideally be taking it all in our diets. Eating nutritious high fibre foods truly has immeasurable health benefits especially if you have diabetes or pre-diabetes and want to put it in reverse gear and normalise your blood sugars.
Fibre has been scientifically proven to:
- Help prevent blood sugar spikes
- Lower your cholesterol
- Decrease risk of heart attack
- Help prevent colon cancer among others
- Increase a sense of fullness
- Avoid hemorrhoids
- Prevent Bloating
- Help in weight loss
- Help eliminate toxins
A healthy natural digestive system is a big part of being healthy so this food component of food is hugely valuable. Processed and refined foods such as white flour, fast foods and sugar laden foods are generally deficient in fibre and this is yet another reason that points to them being so bad for you.
The truth is that there are many delicious and nutritious ways of eating fibre and most importantly it is one of your key allies in maintaining stable blood sugar and heart health.
There are 2 types and both are important. You can see why:
Insoluble: this is the one that adds bulk and moves food quickly through your intestines removing toxins at a good pace.
Soluble: delays the pace at which food leaves the stomach which helps to avoid a peak in your blood sugar or excessive demands on our insulin production.
Most foods contain both but are generally richer in one.
Ideally, we should integrate fibre into every meal and snack. Importantly, that generally helps to keep the glycemic load down which helps avoid the blood sugar insulin peaks which puts stress on our body.
Here’s how to do it – you won’t believe the difference when you focus on this one single goal to increase your fibre. All of these foods pack a serious punch when it comes to nutrition and a huge amount of other benefits too.
- Increase your fresh vegetable intake to a minimum of 5 or more servings per day. Overcooking can reduce the fibre a lot so ideally lightly steam them or even have some raw. This is your best and easiest way to up your fibre and benefit your blood sugar. If it’s a real challenge for you to do this making a veggie smoothie might be the most efficient and pain free way to get started.
- Eat low GL fruit – berries are the very best as they have less sugar and are particularly high in fibre. Apples pears and peaches are also low GL, most of the fibre is in the skin so always eat the skin.
- Nuts and seeds. Walnuts, almonds and pecans are high in fibre and Flax seeds and Chia seeds are particularly good.
- If you eat grains like rice or pasta make sure that it is always brown. Pearl barley and quinoa are also fantastic nutritious and high fibre replacements for white rice or pasta. Oats are also a nutritious high fibre food.
- Beans, peas and lentils are fantastically nutritious and are very high fibre. As with grains some people with high blood sugars find they have a negative effect on their blood sugar so it’s important to monitor your response. Eat them with lots of vegetables and some healthy fats or protein to further slow the sugar release.
Bonus Tip!
As well as being crucial in blood sugar management fibre plays a very important role in gut health. Remember your gut influences so much of your health like your immune system, your mood and your hormones. Gut health also plays a vital role in good blood sugar management. More and more scientific evidence is pointing to the role of good gut health in diabetes.
To help achieve this and to maximise the effects of the extra fibre remember to drink at least 2 litres of water every day. Water in your tea does count but herbal tea is even better. To help digestion warm water can be really helpful and soothing. When you increase your fibre it’s very important to hydrate yourself well too.
Probiotics or healthy bacteria can be very beneficial both from a gut health perspective and your overall health. Live unsweetened yoghurt, kefir and other fermented foods contain natural forms which is the most ideal These are all blood sugar friendly too.
All of these foods are extremely nutrition dense and have immense benefits as well as being high in fibre so they are bursting with goodness. Always eat plenty vegetables and some protein with your whole-grains. Eat plenty vegetables regardless. And remember the benefits. Natures medicine!!
