Type 2 Diabetic? Forget oatmeal, low-carb breakfast reduces sugar spikes

Eating a low-carbohydrate breakfast could help curb cravings for treats later in the day - a simple and powerful strategy not just for those with Type 2 diabetes, but for anyone looking to improve the.

Business Standard : Keto, low-carb, low glycemic index, Mediterranean, DASH diet, low-fat: there are a dizzying array of diets claiming to optimize health. Some are based on sound science and some are not.

For anyone living with Type 2 diabetes, a disease that affects about one in 12 people globally, figuring out what to eat can be even more confusing because their bodies have difficulty processing sugars.

When they eat carbohydrates — the sugars and starches found in many foods — they get large spikes in blood sugar. Poor control of blood sugar by the body can damage organs, particularly blood vessels, eyes and kidneys.

The goal of my research lab at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus is to research diet and exercise interventions for the treatment and prevention of Type 2 diabetes. We conduct human studies testing how different lifestyle strategies impact blood glucose control and other health markers important for the management of this disease.

What does our science say about some of these fad diets? What are some simple strategies that those living with Type 2 diabetes can use to cut through the hype and improve their health?

The first is probably the simplest and easiest to implement: restrict carbohydrate-containing foods, like oatmeal and toast, at breakfast.

A reversed circadian rhythm

I have been using continuous glucose monitoring for 10 years to study how diet and exercise influence blood sugar control. From studying hundreds of individuals with Type 2 diabetes, I can point to one consistency: breakfast leads to the biggest glucose spike of the day.

I always assumed this was due to the fact that typical Western breakfast foods, like cereal, toast, oatmeal and fruit, are high in carbohydrates.

However, it could also be that circadian rhythm — the internal clock that sets our 24-hour metabolism — is “reversed” in Type 2 diabetes.

Instead of waking up and being most glucose tolerant and insulin sensitive early in the day, circadian rhythm is disrupted in those with Type 2 diabetes — so that their bodies are even worse at handling carbohydrates in the morning. If they eat a typical breakfast they get a very pronounced glucose spike.

Poor diet leads to hundreds of deaths in India every year: Lancet study

The study estimates that one in five deaths globally -- equivalent to 11 million deaths -- are associated with poor diet.

Poor diet leads to hundreds of deaths in India annually, according to a Lancet study which found that globally one in five people die due to the lack of optimal amounts of food and nutrients on their plates.

The report, which tracked trends in consumption of 15 dietary factors from 1990 to 2017 in 195 countries, showed that almost every region of the world could benefit from rebalancing their diets.

The study estimates that one in five deaths globally -- equivalent to 11 million deaths -- are associated with poor diet, and diet contributes to a range of chronic diseases in people around the world.

In 2017, more deaths were caused by diets with too low amounts of foods such as whole grains, fruit, nuts and seeds than by diets with high levels of foods like trans fats, sugary drinks, and high levels of red and processed meats.

Low intake of whole grains -- below 125 grammes per day -- was the leading dietary risk factor for death and disease in India, the US, Brazil, Pakistan, Nigeria, Russia, Egypt, Germany, Iran, and Turkey.

In Bangladesh, low intake of fruits -- below 250 grammes per day -- was the leading dietary risk.

In 2017, the countries with the lowest rates of diet-related deaths were Israel, France, Spain, Japan, and Andorra. India ranked 118th with 310 deaths per 100,000 people.

The UK ranked 23rd (127 deaths per 100,000), and the US ranked 43rd (171 deaths per 100,000) after Rwanda and Nigeria (41st and 42nd).

China ranked 140th, with 350 deaths per 100,000 people, researchers said in a statement.

The findings highlight the urgent need for coordinated global efforts to improve diet, through collaboration with various sections of the food system and policies that drive balanced diets.

"This study affirms what many have thought for several years -- that poor diet is responsible for more deaths than any other risk factor in the world," said Christopher Murray, at University of Washington in the US.

"While sodium, sugar, and fat have been the focus of policy debates over the past two decades, our assessment suggests the leading dietary risk factors are high intake of sodium, or low intake of healthy foods, such as whole grains, fruit, nuts and seeds, and vegetables," said Murray.Keep Reading : Business Standard

Sugar does not cause diabetes: Indian producers wants you to believe that

Even Pakistanis and Sri Lankans have a sweeter tooth than Indians. What then makes India the diabetes capital of the world?

Business Standard : Can sugar be the sole culprit for making India the diabetes capital of the world? Well, if some experts and sugar industry representatives are to be believed, the sweetener is being unnecessarily dragged into the controversy over rising cases of diabetes in the country, especially as a host of factors, including sedentary lifestyle and growing urbanisation, are causing diabetes.

In a seminar on 'Sugar and Health', organised by the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), the premier association of private sugar factories in the country, industry players said there was an annual increase of 6.25 per cent in diabetes cases in the country between 2000 and 2016. During the same period, per capita sugar consumption grew by only 1.23 per cent.

ISMA’s efforts to highlight the health benefits of sugar come at a time when India is staring at a massive glut in the sugar market, with production in the 2018-19 sugar season (October to November) projected at around 30-31 million tonnes, compared with an estimated consumption of 26 million tonnes.

A high opening stock, along with a low offtake in the domestic and international markets, could leave the country saddled with sugar stocks in excess of 11 million tonnes by the time the 2018-19 season ends. Many experts blame slow growth in domestic retail sugar consumption as one of reasons for surplus stock.

“India’s annual sugar consumption is 18.4 kg, one of lowest in the world. It is lower than even Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and yet we have such high number of diabetes cases. This shows the problem perhaps lies elsewhere, not in sugar consumption,” said Abinash Verma, director general of ISMA.

He said there were two big myths associated with sugar consumption: First that it causes diabetes, and second that it leads to dental caries (medical term for tooth decay or cavities).

Studies and research have shown that dental caries are caused by acid in food. The pH value (a measurement of acidity and alkalinity of water soluble substances) of sugar is seven, which is considered neutral.

A pH value reading below 7 is considered acidic and more than 7 alkaline.

“Citrous fruits like lemons and tomatoes, besides pickles and coffee, have low pH levels, so they are more acidic than sugar. Mere consumption of sugar, therefore, might not lead to dental caries. But yes, when food sticks to your teeth it turns acidic;so regular brushing and flossing are perhaps easier ways to check tooth decay,” Verma said.