These foods don’t need to be expensive – and you probably already have many of them in your home
ZOE, a nutrition science company co-founded by Tim Spector, Professor of Epidemiology at King’s College London, says there’s simple and widely available foods in many homes that could help protect against diabetes.
It notes that foods rich in fibre are key and you can find this in a variety of vegetables and fruits with their skins on, whole grains, beans, seeds and nuts – all hailed as “excellent sources.” According to the experts at ZOE, “the only macronutrient that most people in the UK and the US are deficient in is fibre.
“With all the high-protein products filling the shelves, this might come as a surprise, but it’s true: more than 90% of us don’t eat enough.”
If you’re looking to add more to your diet, consider foods like:
- pinto beans: 15 g of fibre per cup
- baked beans: 14 g of fibre per cup
- lima beans: 13 g of fibre per cup
- bran cereal: 10 g of fibre per half cup
- raspberries: 8 g of fibre per cup
- whole-wheat pasta: 6 g of fibre per cup
- dried prunes: 6 g of fibre per 10 prunes
- artichoke: 6 g of fibre per one medium artichoke
- baked potato with skin: 5 g of fibre per medium potato
- canned pumpkin: 5 g of fibre per half cup
- kiwi: 5 g of fibre per cup
- brown rice: 4 g of fibre per cup
- peas: 4 g of fibre per half cup
- pears: 4 g of fibre per 1 medium pear
- blueberries: 4 g of fibre per cup
What is fibre and does it help prevent diabetes?
Fibre is a type of carbohydrate found in all plants. Although our bodies can’t digest it, it passes through the digestive system intact and reaches the large intestine, where it nourishes our gut microbiome.
In an article by ZOE, the team look at links between fibre and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and found that “there’s good evidence that fibre reduces the risk.
“This is important because developing type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for heart disease. So, by reducing diabetes risk, you also reduce your cardiovascular risk.”
According to the NHS, when it comes to type 2 diabetes, some symptoms include:
- feeling very tired
- peeing more than usual
- feeling thirsty all the time
- losing weight without trying to
- blurred vision
- cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
- itching around your penis or vagina, or you keep getting thrush
In more good news, the team say: “Evidence shows that if you want to protect your heart, upping your fibre intake is a great start. At the same time, if you already have heart disease or risk factors for cardiovascular disease, like type 2 diabetes or obesity, consuming more fibre may help.”
Shop for these
The team at ZOE, and Tim Spector himself, advocate for including around 30 plants per week. Tracking this can be difficult, as it admits, but try your best.
You can try including these in your diet:
- asparagus
- broccoli
- cabbage
- carrots
- chicory
- eggplant
- Jerusalem artichokes
- red onion
- rocket
- spinach
- sweet potatoes
- zucchini
- apples
- avocados
- bananas
- bell peppers
- blueberries
- figs
- kiwis
- oranges
- raspberries
- tomatoes
- black beans
- broad beans
- butter beans
- chickpeas
- green beans
- kidney beans
- lentils
- peas
- pinto beans
- soybeans or edamame
- brown rice
- bulgar wheat
- oats
- quinoa
- rye flour
- whole wheat flour
- chia seeds
- flaxseeds
- hemp seeds
- pumpkin seeds
- sesame seeds
- sunflower seeds
- almonds
- Brazil nuts
- cashews
- pine nuts
- pistachios
- walnuts
- allspice
- black pepper
- cumin
- ginger
- nutmeg
- paprika
- saffron
- turmeric
- basil
- cilantro
- mint
- oregano
- parsley
- rosemary
- sage
- tarragon
It concludes by warning people who are starting to eat more fibre: “It’s also worth mentioning that if you don’t currently eat a lot of fibre, you might experience some bloating initially. So, take it slow, and the symptoms should pass after a few days.”
