According to Canadian researchers, people who suffer from diabetes, if they include beans and other vegetables in their daily diet, their blood sugar levels and blood pressure will improve. Lentils and beans are high in protein and fiber, which can improve heart health. Because the glycemic index (a measure of sugar content in food) of such food is low. Hence it can help control diabetes.
“Salads have always been considered good for heart health,” says Dr. David, a nutrition researcher at the University of Toronto. Sometimes they provide such benefits that we cannot even imagine. The use of beans will not only control the glucose level of diabetic patients, but it also has positive effects on blood pressure. We cannot say for sure how it affects sugar and blood pressure. This may be due to the protein, fiber and minerals present in these salads.
Dr. David added, “Incorporating more salad in your daily diet will prove to be beneficial for your health. It will help lower blood pressure and cholesterol and keep glucose under control.” For the study, 121 patients with diabetes were selected and instructed to eat one cup of salad throughout the day. Consume or eat only wheat products.
For three months, the researchers observed that those who ate the salad improved their blood sugar by 0.5 points. While those eating wheat-based products improved by 0.3 points. In addition, those who ate the salad had a 4.5-degree drop in blood pressure. While others could only reduce to 2.1 degrees. “These improvements in blood pressure and blood sugar due to eating salad may help control diabetes and reduce the risk of heart disease,” the researchers say.
Experts also believe that according to this study, the blood pressure and sugar levels of those who ate only wheat products were also improved. Therefore, what is more important for diabetic patients is not what they eat, but more important for them is how much they eat.
