Research shows that fiber helps reduce the rapid rise in blood sugar levels that occurs after eating carbohydrate-containing foods. It decreases the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestinal tract, thus helping to mitigate the impact of carbohydrate consumption in people who have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Soluble fiber is truly a “wonder food” for diabetics.
There are two main types of fiber:
1. Insoluble fiber: Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water and adds fiber or bulk to your intestinal tract…it’s linked to preventing constipation.
2. Soluble fiber: Soluble fiber is the one that is really beneficial for the type 2 diabetic…it has more benefits for blood sugar control. The soluble type of fiber is ideal because:
- does not contribute to raising blood sugar levels. This means you could really eat anything high in fiber and not worry about raising your blood sugar levels as much as when you eat the same food without fiber. For example: a whole orange instead of orange juice…the fiber is removed in the juicing process.
- it increases the viscosity of food in the stomach and small intestine by its gel-like action…this actually slows down digestion and emptying time. Therefore, the rate of absorption into the bloodstream is also slowed down and no sugar spikes occur. Therefore, a high-fiber meal means that the carbohydrates in the meal are released slowly into the blood and the rise in blood sugar is gradual after eating. This means your body needs less insulin to lower your blood sugar.
- reduces the amount of carbohydrates available in any food. What that means is that the more soluble fiber there is in the foods you eat, the less of the other types of carbohydrates, starch and sugar, there are for you to worry about.
- it is not digested or absorbed into the bloodstream, it does not produce calories. And because you feel full, you end up eating less of other foods and consuming fewer calories or kilojoules.
To get some fiber in almost every meal, start with:
- eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables will give you about five grams of soluble fiber.
- adding a half cup of cooked beans will give you about two grams of soluble fiber.
- switch to whole grains whenever possible.
Both types of fiber help you feel full faster when they are part of a meal and help stop overeating. One study showed that people ate smaller lunches after eating high-fiber breakfasts. This is because fiber reduces the amount of insulin needed…the lower the level of insulin in the blood, the lower the appetite.