Hello, I am Ty Mason of thediabetescouncil.com, researcher, writer and I have type 2 diabetes.
Today I want to give you my Top 10 Best Fiber Foods for diabetes.
After you watch the video today, I invite you check out the description box for my new
ebook.
This is one of the most comprehensive diabetes meal planning book you can find.
It contains diabetes friendly meals/recipes, recipes for different goals such as 800-1800
calories per day meal plan, diabetes meal planning tips and tricks.
There are also tons of diabetes friendly recipes for everyone!
Diana Rodriguez lives not too far from me.
She is an amazing journalist and I want to give her some props for helping me out with
this video.
As a group, Americans fall far short on the recommended amount of fiber people should
eat every day.
This deficiency can be especially harmful when you're trying to manage diabetes and
possibly lose weight.
When you have diabetes, increasing your daily fiber intake has many benefits, including
improving your heart health and helping to maintain blood sugar control.
According to a research review published in the Journal of the American Board of Family
Medicine, a diet that’s high in fiber may even help lower your A1C test results, which
measures your average blood sugar control over two to three months.
“The average amount of fiber consumed in the United States is only 10 to 20 grams per
day,” says Meredith Nguyen, RD, a registered dietitian with the diabetes self-management
program at Methodist Charlton Medical Center in Dallas.
The Institute of Medicine recommends daily fiber totals based on your age and gender:
Men under 50 years old should get 38 grams per day
Men over 50 should get 30 grams per day Women under 50 years old should get 25 grams
per day Women over 50 should get 21 grams per day
The American Diabetes Association recommends a goal of 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day.
Dietitians recommend eating more foods with fiber to achieve these daily goals, but fiber
supplements could also be an option.
Why Do I Need Fiber?
There are many reasons for including fiber in your daily diet.
For starters, fiber helps slow the rise in blood sugar that can occur after a meal.
“Fiber also works to decrease cholesterol and provides bulk in the diet that helps to
naturally decrease hunger,” explains Ann Walker, RD, LD, a registered dietitian at
the Cray Diabetes Self-Management Center at the University of Kansas Medical Center in
Kansas City.
That also makes it a good addition for people on a heart-healthy diet geared toward maintaining
a healthy weight.
Nguyen, who points out that you can experience greater advantages with even more daily fiber,
says you might aim for 44 to 50 grams a day for the best blood-sugar control benefits.
This might seem like an impossibly high goal if your fiber consumption is like that of
the average American, but with baby steps and good planning, you can get there.
Here is my Top 10 Fiber Foods for Diabetes Lentils
Lentils are colorful legumes packed with both fiber and protein.
About 40 percent of the total carbohydrate in lentils is fiber, leading to a lower blood
sugar response, says Jill Weisenberger, RDN, CDE, an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
spokeswoman and author of 21 Things You Need to Know About Diabetes and Your Heart and
The Overworked Person’s Guide to Better Nutrition.
Lentils boast more than 15 grams of fiber per serving, plus nearly 18 grams of protein,
according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
In a hurry?
Opt for quick-cooking red lentils and use them in a soup or salad, Weisenberger suggests.
Beans The trick for reaping the most benefit from
beans?
Pick a rainbow of them.
A cup of cooked red kidney beans has about 13 grams of fiber, according to the USDA;
a cup of black beans has about 15 grams; white beans, more than 18 grams.
In addition to their high fiber content, beans, as well as lentils, have a starch that's resistant
to digestion, meaning it doesn’t get into the bloodstream quickly and affect blood sugar,
Weisenberger says.
Plus, this starch is good news for good gut bacteria.
“When bacteria make a meal of resistant starch, some fatty acids are formed,” she
adds.
These beneficial fatty acids promote better use of insulin and healthier colon cells.
To get more beans into your diet, try tossing them into your favorite salad, soup, or entrée.
Artichoke This is probably the first time I have ever
mentioned artichokes in any of my videos, but they are amazing!
Artichokes are tender, flavorful, and packed with fiber — one medium-sized artichoke
has more than 10 grams, says the USDA.
They’re also a great source of blood pressure-lowering potassium and magnesium, as well as vitamin
C and folate, Weisenberger says.
To cook, she recommends removing the bottom leaves and cutting off the top third of the
artichoke, removing the stem, and trimming the thorns from the top leaves.
Steam for about 25 minutes over boiling water.
Once cooled, pull off the succulent leaves and dip them in an olive-oil-based vinaigrette.
Popcorn Don’t reach for a bag of chips when you
want a salty snack —pop fresh popcorn instead.
Just go light on the salt and butter (this isn’t movie theater popcorn).
OR, try this, drizzle with a bit of olive oil, sprinkle on some dried herbs, or add
a dash of hot sauce.
Three cups of air-popped popcorn contains more than 3 grams of fiber, the USDA reports.
Popcorn is cholesterol-free and has almost no fat and very few calories.
It’s also a low-glycemic-index and glycemic load food, meaning that it’s slowly digested
and has a gradual impact on blood sugar levels.
Avocados Now I know this is the first time I have ever
talked about avocados.
While I am not a huge fan, I do like them as a dip.
They are good mashed into dip or used as a spread instead of mayo, avocados are a good
source of both fiber and heart-healthy omega-3 fats.
One cup of pureed avocado has more than 15 grams of fiber — but also 368 calories and
nearly 34 grams of fat, according to the USDA, so remember that a little goes a long way.
Weisenberger suggests substituting 1 tablespoon of mashed avocado for 1 tablespoon of butter
when baking and opting for a slice of avocado in place of cheese on your favorite sandwich.
PEAS!
I am a huge fan of the pea.
These starchy veggies, packed with vitamins A, C, and K, make great substitutes for rice
and other grains, Weisenberger says.
One cup of raw green peas boasts more than 7 grams of fiber, according to the USDA.
Split peas are an especially good choice, as one cooked cup contains 16.3 grams of fiber,
the Mayo Clinic reports.
Toss peas into your favorite salad or pasta dish for added nutrients and fiber, or enjoy
them on their own, sprinkled with a little fresh mint and parsley.
Broccoli A cup of chopped raw broccoli offers about
2.4 grams of fiber and nearly the same amount of protein, says the USDA.
Plus, this cruciferous green veggie is rich in vitamins C, K, and folate and the mineral
potassium.
Weisenberger suggests steaming broccoli florets, tossing them with a garlicky olive oil, and
mixing them into a pasta or casserole or adding it raw and crunchy into your favorite green
salad.
BERRIES BERRIES BERRIES Bite-sized and sweet, berries are loaded with
fiber, antioxidants, and other nutrients.
Raspberries and blackberries top the list of high-fiber choices, with more than 7 grams
of fiber per cup.
“These tiny berries are loaded with health-boosting compounds, including those thought to help
prevent certain types of cancer and improve the health of the heart,” Weisenberger says.
For a sweet dessert, enjoy berries topped with a few dark chocolate shavings.
Pick Pears Green, red, or brown, all pears offer the
same health benefits.
A large pear contains about 7 grams of fiber, along with vitamin C and potassium, according
to the USDA.
“For a fancy treat, drizzle a little balsamic vinegar over slices of a grilled pear,”
Weisenberger suggests.
Enjoy this for dessert or serve the slices over salad greens at the start
your meal.
Try Barley and Oatmeal I prefer oatmeal, but I have become quite
a barley fan as of late.
Both of these whole grains are good sources of fiber.
Try barley in place of rice or pasta in your favorite dishes, and replace breadcrumbs with
oatmeal in meatloaf or for coating baked chicken or fish.
Both contain the fiber beta-glucan, which improves insulin action, lowers blood sugar,
and helps sweep cholesterol from the digestive tract, Weisenberger says.
One cup of cooked barley contains 6 grams of fiber and one cup of cooked oatmeal contains
about 4 grams, according to the USDA.
There you have it!
My Top 10 Fiber foods for diabetes.
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