Low Glycemic Diets Help Type 2 Diabetics

The report in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association also points to decreased cardiovascular risk using a low glycemic index diet.

The glycemic index or GI refers to the speed in which food is absorbed in the blood stream that causes the blood sugar to rise. Foods like white bread and potatoes give quick surges in blood sugar because of their concentrated amounts of starch. Starches are known sugars that if not metabolized properly can remain stagnant and cause increases in blood sugars.

On the other hand, foods low in the glycemic index like yogurt, some high fiber grains and soybeans, produce a more steady increase in blood sugars.

In the study, 210 people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes were given anti-diabetes medications who were randomly allowed to go on a low glycemic index diet or a high fiber diet for six months. Researchers were looking for changes in long term glucose levels.

Those on the low glycemic index diet noticed a 0.50 percent drop in their blood glucose levels; while those on the high fiber diets only dropped 0.18 percent, according to Dr. David J. A. Jenkins, from the University of Toronto.

Another good thing about the low glycemic index diet was that the good cholesterol (HDL) levels rose while patients were on the low glycemic index diet, yet they fell with those on the high fiber diet.

"Low-glycemic index diets may be useful as part of the strategy to improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes taking (glucose-lowering) medications," the researchers reported.