Are you a chronic diabetes patient? Do you want to reduce the complications of diabetes by making small changes in your diet? Then, the first thing you must do is introduce the foods that control your system’s sugar levels and lower cholesterol in your daily diet.

On that note, oatmeal is one of the most recommended foods for diabetics. Would you like to know more? Keep reading.

Diabetes – An Overview:

Diabetes is a type of metabolic disorder in which the body cannot use the consumed glucose or sugar adequately (1). The condition occurs because the body becomes insensitive to insulin or is incapable of producing sufficient hormones. Diabetes is chronic and can lead to other health problems such as nerve damage, stroke, heart disease, blindness and other conditions. You can control the blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of other diseases by following an ideal diet that includes fiber-rich foods such as the oatmeal.

Oatmeal And Glycemic Index:

Glycemic Index (GI) controls diabetes and hence is a very important factor to consider when you are planning a diet for a diabetic patient (2). It measures the rate at which a particular type of food raises the blood sugar level in the body. Oatmeal has a lower glycemic index. Hence, it balances the levels of glucose in the body enabling better control of the diabetes symptoms and preventing associated complications (3).

Oatmeal provides a long-term and stable source of energy. The effect is caused because oatmeal increases the thickness or the viscosity of the stomach contents, thereby prolonging glucose absorption in the blood and slowing digestion. This property of oatmeal helps it keep diabetes under control.

Oatmeal Lowers Cholesterol:

Diabetes patients are at an increased risk of high cholesterol. The beta-glucan content in oatmeal provides soluble fiber, and thus, lowers the cholesterol in the blood (4). When you eat fiber-rich foods such as the oats that are rich in soluble fiber, they together form a gel-like substance inside the small intestine. This gel-like substance catches the unhealthy cholesterol present in the food and prevents their absorption in the blood stream. However, the substance does not trap the HDL or the high-density lipid cholesterol, which is good for health.

Oatmeal Improves Heart Health:

Oatmeal is good for the heart and should be included in the diet, particularly by the diabetes patients who are at a higher risk of heart complications (5). According to the American Diabetes Association, apart from lowering the cholesterol, the oatmeal also is a good source of potassium. This mineral reduces high blood pressure or hypertension and maintains blood vessel and heart health, thereby preventing the onset of cardiovascular disease.

Oatmeal Reduces The Need For Insulin:

One of the major parts of the diabetes control and treatment is nutrition, which can help reduce the need for medications and insulin. A study published in the Clinical Endocrinology and Diabetes journal in 2008 says that diabetic patients maintaining diabetes diet during hospitalization were successful in controlling their levels of blood glucose at around 158mg/dl (6). However, when oatmeal was made a regular part of their diet, the average blood glucose levels decreased to around 118mg/dl, which is a significant drop. According to the research, the nutritional approach towards this condition led to 40% reduction in the dosage of insulin that is required for controlling blood glucose levels in the body.

How To Treat Diabetes With Oatmeal:

The presence of beta-glucan makes oatmeal a great food for controlling the blood sugar levels. It works at the molecular level and reverses insulin resistance when the body cells start ignoring the signal of the insulin to absorb glucose into the blood. Including oatmeal in your regular diet helps to keep off the negative effects of diabetes and also the related complications.

1. Start The Day With Oatmeal:

You do not need to eat oatmeal all the time. Just make it a regular part of your daily breakfast and you will start getting the results in a few days. However, to get the best results you must avoid the flavored packets that come with added sugar, as they might spike your sugar levels instead of controlling your glycemic index.

You should choose the bulk content in the big canisters that is unflavored and plain and does not have any added sugar. Buying an unflavored bag of oatmeal does not mean that you have to eat a tasteless and plain breakfast. You can prepare your own flavor that is made by adding healthy foods favoring your health. Boost the nutritional value of your breakfast by preparing your oatmeal with skim milk or low-fat milk instead of using plain water. Use the same amount of milk as mentioned on the label for water.

On a busy day, you might just want to gulp down the oatmeal with water. But avoid the temptation, and instead, microwave for 1 minute on HIGH, stir and again put the bowl in the microwave for 1 minute to get the consistency you desire.

2. Make Your Own Oatmeal Flavor:

The original flavor of oatmeal is neutral, and hence, you can add different flavors of your liking and make your breakfast interesting. Adding spices such as ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon gives a new twist to your oatmeal breakfast. With practice, you can find the right combination of all these spices and cook not only a healthy but equally delicious oatmeal mix for yourself. You can add nuts to enhance nutrition as well as give a crunchy twist to the meal.

Adding 1 to 2 spoonfuls of raisins, dried cranberries, frozen berries, diced pears, bananas, pears or fresh apples can make it more interesting. Ensure you add the frozen fruits prior to cooking. The other fruits and berries can be added before or after cooking the meal, according to your preference.

Want to make it more tempting for your kid who is fussy about eating and is also suffering from juvenile diabetes? Add a bit of organic vanilla or strawberry essence and you will have your child licking the bowl and asking for more. To add more amount of oat to your daily diet, you can replace the breadcrumbs in meatballs or meatloaf with the oats. Grinding the oats and using the flour in different recipes is also a good idea.

So, you see, there are a lot many ways in which you can include oats in your daily diet and control the negative effects of diabetes. Tell us how this post has helped you. Let us know by commenting in the box below.

The post Is Oatmeal Good For Diabetics? appeared first on STYLECRAZE.

by Renold Rajan via STYLECRAZE