The science behind oatmeal and diabetes

The science behind oatmeal and diabetes

Before insulin, there was oatmeal.

Before the discovery of insulin, Carl von Noorden’s oatmeal diet saved or extended the lives of many diabetics. As I explain in my video, Is oatmeal good for people with diabetes?he published his findings in 1903, but it was received with great skepticism. But in the years that followed, the weight of evidence trumped the critics.

Renowned physician James B. Herrick began testing the oatmeal diet on his patients. Initially very skeptical, he was astounded by the results, which led to a declaration in 1909 that no juvenile or adolescent diabetic should be deprived of the benefits of oatmeal treatment.

The great Elliott Joslin, founder of the world’s oldest and largest diabetes clinic, described oatmeal’s effects as “sometimes magical” and called oatmeal’s cure an unsolved mystery, at the time called “one of the greatest mysteries of diabetes.” But they had some clues. They found that animal protein counteracts the positive effects of oatmeal-type meals and should be strictly eliminated.

Now, more than a century later, we know that eating animal protein enhances insulin resistance, which leads to prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, whereas plant foods increase insulin sensitivity and vice versa.

Is oatmeal good for people with diabetes?

It has long been known that higher intakes of whole grains, including oats, are associated with a lower risk of diabetes. As I explain in my video, How does oatmeal help increase blood sugar levels?more than a dozen randomized controlled trials found that oats not only lower cholesterol levels, but also significantly improve short- and long-term blood sugar control.

We believe the benefits stem from the fermentable fiber found in oats. beta glucan. We know that one of the cholesterol-lowering mechanisms underlying oatmeal consumption is oatmeal’s ability to manipulate the microbiome, which may have beneficial effects on gut bacteria.

What’s so great about the dietary fiber in oatmeal?

A little fiber goes a long way. Our healthy gut flora utilizes fiber to produce short-chain fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory properties. Dozens of randomized controlled trials have shown that the types of fiber found in oats and beans can improve long-term blood sugar control in people with diabetes. why? This is because dietary fiber intake selectively promotes gut bacteria, which may help reduce type 2 diabetes.

Oat fiber itself has been shown to act as a prebiotic, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria such as: lactic acid bacteria and Bifidobacterium. So between the lack of animal protein, the lack of animal fat, and the bursting of prebiotic fibers at the seams, it’s no wonder that the oatmeal diet has grown to become part of the clinical routine for diabetes treatment.

How soon will I see results?

As I explain in my video, Oatmeal diet tested to treat diabetesSome studies suggest that eating oatmeal for a few days may have beneficial effects for about a month afterwards. In a randomized controlled crossover trial, insulin requirements were reduced by approximately 40% in just 2 days compared to calorie restriction alone with a low-calorie diabetic diet, and this effect was also reflected in long-term glycemic control measurements taken 4 weeks later.

Other new research shows the same thing. Consuming oatmeal for two days significantly reduced insulin requirements and improved blood sugar levels, with beneficial effects lasting up to four weeks. Consider this. When patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes consumed an oatmeal diet for two days, their insulin doses were reduced by 40% and their average blood sugar levels nearly normalized. Although the intervention only lasted two days, the researchers observed significant reductions in insulin doses and improvements in average blood sugar levels that persisted for several weeks after participants were removed from the study. That was after participants resumed their regular diet.

When people are fed a diet rich in oats, beans, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, the number of intestinal fiber feeders that produce large amounts of beneficial short-chain fatty acids surges, lowering fasting diabetic blood sugar levels by about 25% within a month. The more fiber you raise your child to eat, the better his blood sugar control will be. When fiber-promoted short-chain fatty acid producers were more diverse and abundant, participants had better improvement in hemoglobin A1c levels (a measure of long-term blood sugar control).

Graph showing how a high-fiber diet changes the gut microbiome and can improve blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes

Are there any downsides to oatmeal?

If you are going to try the oatmeal diet, your doctor should be ready to start the oatmeal diet right away. explain Failure to do so may result in a dangerous drug overdose. Oatmeal interventions should not be performed in patients who may have difficulty reporting symptoms of hypoglycemia. The downside to trying an oatmeal day is that it can be a little overpowering, so it should be done under close medical supervision.

Oatmeal glycemic index

Whole grains are good, but whole grains are better. The most complete grain: groats.

During processing, oats are stripped of their inedible hulls. It is then sliced ​​into 2-4 pieces to create steel cuts (also known as steel cuts). pin head or Irish) Oats are considered a low glycemic index food with an average glycemic index of less than 55.

Oat flour can be coarsely ground to make Scottish oatmeal, or steamed and flattened to make ‘old-fashioned’ rolled oats, which have a glycemic index of 55.

Instant oats are steamed longer and rolled even thinner. With a score of 79, it’s considered a high glycemic index food, but it’s not as bad as breakfast cereals, which can be in the 80s or 90s.

Jazz up your oatmeal

Oatmeal is a classic whole grain breakfast that can be enjoyed in many ways.

Of course, fruits and nuts are also popular. a berry banana oatmeal bowl quick, easy, and cinnamon baked apple Make a cozy breakfast. assemble overnight oats or baked carrot cake oatmeal Simplify your morning the night before.
To add another type of fiber to your gut flora, mash cannellini beans into your oatmeal. My friend Paul swears he can’t see or taste cannellini beans.
I like to start my morning with what I call my time brawl bowl. BROL stands for barley, rye, oats and lentils. I use oats (also known as oats). without hull and shelled oats). Pre-mix all the ingredients in a 1:1:1:1 ratio and cook 1 cup of dry BROL and 2 cups of water in an electric pressure cooker. A base with a high texture is created.

Once you have your BROL base ready, choose your toppings. When I want to eat something sweet, I often go to: Chocolate covered cherry sensation. I make it using frozen dark red cherries, cocoa powder, dates, and walnuts or pumpkin seeds.

You can easily transform your BROL bowl into something delicious. This is a version using sautéed vegetables.. If you search for “delicious oatmeal” on Google, you’ll find all sorts of interesting dishes, including mushrooms, herbs, curries, and roasted vegetables.

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