Q. Dietary Fibre requirement during diabetes?
Dietary fibre is that part of food which is not digested by the intestines. High fibre meals have shown to give the best glycemic control in diabetics. It not only reduces blood sugar but lowers blood cholesterol and hence is good for cardiovascular diseases, constipation and some forms of cancer. Fibre is found in a wide range of foods such as whole cereals, pulses, fruits, green leafy vegetables (insoluble fibres), Many should fibres such as those present in beans, fenugreek seeds are found to be more effective in controlling blood sugar and serum lipid levels. We will talk about these later. Intake of 25 g of dietary fibre per 1000 calories/day is considered optimum for a diabetic. Remember high fiber diets are of low calorie value and also have a low glycemic index. So diabetics must consume more of these foods.