High Fiber Diet helpful for Diabetics

In the U.S. alone, diabetes -- the inability of a body to control its blood sugar -- is diagnosed in 2,200 people a day.

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High Fiber Diet helpful for Diabetics

Many diabetics can significantly lower their blood sugar - and maybe even reduce their medication or stop taking it altogether - by eating lots and lots of fruits, vegetables and high-fiber grain, researchers say.

The experimental diet - tested on 13 diabetics - contained 50 grams of fiber a day, or about twice the amount recommended by the American Diabetes Association. That is equivalent to seven or eight servings of fruit and vegetables and three of whole wheat or other high-fiber grain.

The diet also improved the diabetics' cholesterol levels, which was encouraging. Heart disease is a major cause of death among diabetics.

The study was published in New England Journal of Medicine. It was led by Dr. Abhimanyu Garg of UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.