All carbohydrates can directly affect your blood glucose levels. Therefore, it's important to make healthier food choices.
Just one or two servings of whole grains per day may help reduce diabetes risk, according to a new study led by researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Researchers found that people who ate two servings of whole grains per day had a 29% lower risk of diabetes than those who ate around a third of a serving or less.
The study also found that people who ate at least one daily serving of a particular grain such as oatmeal or brown rice were less likely to develop diabetes than those who ate less than one monthly serving of that grain.
The next time you're buying groceries, keep these healthy options in mind:
- Whole grains: brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, whole grain bread, whole oats, buckwheat, quinoa
- Fruit
- Legumes: chickpeas, beans, lentils (if canned – check if it contains any added sugar)
- Dairy products: unsweetened yogurt and milk
You should also try to cut down on foods that are low in fiber: white bread and pastries, white rice, and cereals.