According to a new study from the University of Guelph in Canada, replacing potatoes or rice with beans can lower blood sugar by more than 20 percent.
Professor Alison Duncan of the Department of Human Health and Nutritional Sciences and Dan Ramdath of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada found that replacing half of the portion of starchy foods with lentils can significantly improve the body's response to carbohydrates. Studies have found that replacing half a serving of rice or potatoes with lentils can lower blood sugar by 20 percent and 35 percent, respectively.
Dan Ramdath of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Dita Moravek, PhD student at the University of Guelph, and Professor Alison Duncan. Image credit: University of Guelph
Duncan said: "Pulses are very nutritious foods, and they have the potential to reduce the risk of chronic diseases associated with blood sugar levels. ”
However, few Canadians enjoy eating lentils. "Canada has a huge production of lentils, but most of them are exported, and only 13 per cent of lentils are eaten by Canadians," Duncan said. We hope this study will make people aware of the health benefits of pulses. ”
The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, enrolled 24 healthy adults who each adopted four diets: only rice, half rice and half green lentils, half rice and half green lentils, and half rice and half red lentils.
The researchers tested the subjects' blood sugar levels before and two hours after eating. They then repeated the experiment by replacing rice with potatoes.
"The reason we mix potatoes and rice with lentils is that people don't usually eat lentils alone, but instead eat them with other starchy foods, so we hope this finding reflects reality," Duncan said. ”
Regardless of the type of lentil, after replacing half a serving of starchy foods, it can reduce blood sugar.
During digestion, blood sugar is present in the blood in the upper gastrointestinal tract, and blood sugar levels are related to the amount of starch in food.
Beans like lentils are able to slow down the digestion of starch and slow down the release of sugar into the bloodstream, ultimately lowering blood sugar levels.
Duncan adds: "Sugar is absorbed slowly, meaning there are no spikes in blood sugar. Excessively high blood glucose levels over a period of time can lead to blood sugar disturbances, which are characteristic of type 2 diabetes. In fact, eating lentils can reduce this risk. ”
Certain enzymes in the body are involved in glucose absorption, while legumes contain ingredients that inhibit these enzymes, and the fiber in beans promotes the production of short-chain fatty acids, which also helps lower blood sugar levels.
Duncan said health canada requires that only a 20 per cent reduction in blood glucose levels be approved for a health declaration to lower blood sugar. We hope to flesh out the evidence for health claim approval for pulse foods, which will further encourage people to add legumes to their diets.
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