Researchers recorded for a month how volunteers’ blood sugar levels fluctuated throughout the day.
Regular consumption of quinoa can help prevent the onset of diabetes type 2according to a study by Open University of Catalonia (UOC) and August P. Y. Sanyer Biomedical Research Institute (Idibaps), and published openly in the journal ‘Nutrients’,
Specifically, substituting grain consumption for quinoa can reduce the peaks of blood glucose tSpikes in blood sugar after eating, and after eating are decisive in the development of type 2 diabetes.
Quinoa, a pseudo-grain of Andean origin, has high nutritional value. It is very rich in B vitamins and vitamins E and C as well as minerals such as calcium, iron or magnesium. It is also a good source of complex carbohydrates and fiber, and is high in protein concentration With all the essential amino acids that must be included through the diet.
Because of this nutritional value, it was estimated that quinoa consumption This may have a favorable effect in relation to some cardiovascular diseases and other metabolic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. However, no scientific studies were conducted to support these purported health benefits.
Some recent studies with rats found that polyphenols, a type of micronutrient present in quinoa, may have a positive effect in lowering blood sugar. and type 2 diabetes is characterized precisely by a increase in blood sugar level After eating foods rich in carbohydrates, due to non-production or detection of insulin secreted by the pancreas.
For this reason, the teacher of health science studies UOC’s Diana Diaz Rizzolo, and her team wanted to see what would happen if they removed other carbohydrate-rich foods from the diet and replaced them with quinoa and foods made from this pseudocereal. , They wanted to see if this replacement could have a positive effect on the prevention of type 2 diabetes in people at high risk of developing the disease.
As they recall, type 2 diabetes is preceded by a previous condition called prediabetes, in which, even if action is taken, the disease can be prevented. ,70 percent of people with prediabetes Eventually the disease will develop. Furthermore, this conversion ratio increases in older adults. Thus, the combination of prediabetic status and aging greatly increases the risk of developing the disease”, highlights Dr. Diaz Rizzolo.
Age, risk factors in type 2 diabetes
Researchers recruited old people Have prediabetes at the age of 65. Age itself is a risk factor for developing the disease, which can begin silently up to ten years before diagnosis.
For a month, the researchers followed the volunteers: they surveillance sensor Continuous glucose monitor that determined their blood glucose value every minute of the day, and asked them to record what they ate. In this way, they were able to see how blood sugar levels fluctuated after each meal.
After a month, they replaced foods rich in complex carbohydrates (such as grains, legumes, tubers and pasta) with quinoa and foods made from this pseudo-grain. To do this, they worked with the Alicia Foundation, which developed new products based on quinoa flour that were similar to the foods the study volunteers were already eating, such as breads, rolls, pasta, crackers. and stick. In this way, for a month they recorded how the volunteers’ blood sugar levels fluctuated throughout the day.
“We compared blood glucose patterns and we observed that, when participants ate quinoa, the glucose peak was lower than on a normal diet”, summarizes the UOC researcher. “This is important, because it blood glucose spikes post-eating are crucial in the development of type 2 diabetes”, he adds.
Researchers also observed that consuming quinoa helps control lipid levels in the blood, so they believe it may be useful in controlling lipid levels in the blood. hypercholesterolemia and other factors related to cardiovascular risk.
“Quinoa has a high content of unsaturated fats, antioxidants, and polyphenols, which have clear cardiovascular benefits,” says Diaz Rizzolo. This pseudocereal also contains high levels of betaine, a compound that is able to regulate homocysteine levels and prevent the onset of coronary heart disease.
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