According to the American Diabetes Association, more than 8 percent of the U.S. population – over 25 million people in total – suffer from diabetes. Both forms of this metabolic disorder call for a strict dietary plan to prevent harmful fluctuations in blood sugar levels and other detrimental symptoms. Because diabetes has been linked to heart disease and stroke, it is particularly important to keep this issue under control.
But diabetes isn’t just a problem in the United States. Recently, researchers from the Linköping University in Sweden have been investigating how a specific dietary plan that is widely seen as heart-healthy could benefit diabetics in particular. The study focused on a Mediterranean diet, which is typically low in saturated fats and rich in fresh produce, olive oil and omega-3 fatty acids. The most note-worthy discovery, though, was that this cuisine may be most helpful for people with type-2 diabetes if they restrict their eating habits to fewer, larger meals instead of smaller fare throughout the day. This goes against widely practiced methods of moderating diabetes symptoms.
“It is very interesting that the Mediterranean diet, without breakfast and with a massive lunch with wine, did not induce higher blood glucose levels than the low-fat diet lunch, despite such a large single meal,” noted lead researcher and professor Fredrik Nyström in a press release.
Nyström also made the point that the Mediterranean diet has become quite popular as a low-cholesterol, low-fat alternative, however it is often overlooked that breakfast isn’t necessarily a staple in Mediterranean countries.
This provides an interesting new insight into the relationship between diet, brain health and diabetes management, but if you suffer from this condition, don’t make drastic changes to your routine without consulting a physician.