Back in 2000, some scientists wanted to study whether fiber can help people manage their diabetes.
The scientists decided to feed one group of subjects a regular amount of fiber. For the other group, they fed them a lot of fiber. And by a lot, we mean more than double what people normally have in a day.
What makes fiber great is that it’s like a scrub brush for your digestive tract. It cleans out bacteria and other buildups, leading to healthy internal plumbing. Scientists aren’t usually known for toilet humor, but you can imagine they cracked a few bathroom jokes during the study.
What the scientists really wanted to know was whether fiber can help a person manage their diabetes.
For six weeks they measured how fiber regulated blood sugar levels. And believe it or not, they found a high-fiber diet helped immensely. Or as they put it, “An increase in the intake of dietary fiber … by patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus improved glycemic control and decreased hyperinsulinemia in addition to the expected lowering of plasma lipid concentrations.”
Few of us get enough fiber in our diet. Most of us only get half the suggested amount. If you have diabetes, introducing more fiber into your diet can help regulate your blood sugar levels.
The body can’t absorb and break down fiber. That’s a good thing. It’s not like most carbs which tend to cause spikes in blood sugar.
For ideas on how to add fiber-rich foods into your diet, visit the CDC’s article Fiber: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes.
