Reduce the risk of diabetes related heart disease

By Brandie Umar - Executive Director of Content | June 3rd, 2010

The risk of developing heart disease is higher for those who suffer from diabetes - one in three diabetics will develop heart disease, and this risk is higher for patients who are unable to control their diabetes. Diabetes prevents the body from efficiently producing and circulating glucose, depriving cells of energy. This leads to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.

New research suggests that the symptoms of diabetes could be controlled more efficiently if patients ate a diet rich in whole grain foods. By controlling the diabetes patients significantly reduce strain on other organs, lowering the risk of heart attack, stroke

and long-term cardiovascular disease.

Diabetics are advised to limit the amount of refined carbohydrates in their diet as refined carbs such as those in white bread and pasta, raise blood sugars. For diabetics struggling to regulate blood sugars, avoiding foods that trigger a surge in blood glucose is crucial to monitoring the condition.

Research by the American Heart Association suggests that rather than avoid all carbohydrates completely, patients who swap refined carbs for fibre-rich bran are able to decrease the risk of heart disease. The intake of bran and complex carbohydrates was monitored in a study of almost 8,000 diabetics over the course of 30 years. Those patients who consumed most bran and fibre-rich carbohydrates were significantly less affected by heart disease than patients whose diet was lower in whole grain.

Whole grain carbohydrates reduce inflammation in the body. Reducing inflammation reduces the effort cells must expend to keep blood glucose regulated, hence making the process of controlling diabetes easier for diabetic patients.

The participants in the research study were female and were evenly split between those diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. The American Heart Association research team is preparing to repeat the study, this time monitoring male diabetics.

Good sources of diabetes friendly whole grain foods

The less refined the wholegrain, the more health benefits the food contains. Be sure to look closely at labelling and choose foods with 5+ grams of fibre per serving for optimum benefits. Avoid refined carbohydrates found in white bread, pasta, white rice and processed foods.

Excellent sources of heart healthy foods include:

Brown rice/ Brown flour - Be sure to check labelling to ensure the foods are whole grain not dyed.
Oatmeal/Breakfast cereals - Ensure each serving contains at least 5 grams of fibre to see the benefits.
Fresh Corn/Popcorn - Skip the salt and butter for a nutritious snack
Barley/Buckwheat and wild rice are healthy alternatives to white rice or pasta.