Whole grains each day keep diabetes away - Lifelines - Brief Article

Vibrant Life, Nov-Dec, 2002

Middle-aged or older men can significantly lessen their risk of developing diabetes just by increasing the amount of whole-grain foods in their diets.

Researchers at Simmons College (Boston) studied more than 43,000 men for 12 years, analyzing their diets and the types of diseases the participants developed. Scientists discovered that men who ate an average of 3.2 servings of whole grains each day were 42 percent less likely to develop diabetes than men who rarely ate whole-grain products. And the grains' effect was significant even after researchers factored out other lifestyle factors in the development of diabetes.

The high-fiber content in grains slows down the digestive process, slowing the release of glucose into your bloodstream. That reduces the insulin response after meals, and the risk of developing diabetes.

(American Journal of Clinical Nutrition)