Wholegrains for Diabetes Prevention
Further to the blog posts on the effects of low carb diets Low Carb Diets Unsafe and The Sweet Spot A recent study from Sweden and Denmark has confirmed that eating wholegrains, such as rye, oats and wheat, can prevent type 2 diabetes (1). Previous studies showing the positive effects of wholegrains were mainly conducted in the USA where the main grain eaten is wheat. In Scandinavia there is a wider variation in wholegrain intake making it useful place to investigate. All the whole grains seem to be equally protective against type 2 diabetes.
The study included 55 000 participants and took place over 15 years. The researchers found that those who had the highest intake of wholegrains had the lowest incidence of type 2 diabetes.
Eating wholegrains appears to be one of the most effective dietary strategies for reducing the risk of developing diabetes, with drinking coffee and avoiding red meat being other possibly helpful factors.
The researchers state that people on low carb diets who avoid grains are losing out on the positive health benefits of grain consumption. They go on to say that among the many studies that have been conducted on diverse groups of people around the world, there hasn’t been a single study that has shown negative health effects from consuming wholegrains.
References
- 1. Kyrø C, Tjønneland A, Overvad K, Olsen A, Landberg R. Higher Whole-Grain Intake Is Associated with Lower Risk of Type 2 Diabetes among Middle-Aged Men and Women: The Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Cohort. The Journal of Nutrition, 2018; 148 (9): 1434