Diabetics: Eat Bran to Live Longer
Reported May 12, 2010
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — Women with type 2 diabetes might want to consider including more bran in their diet. A new study reveals those who do so have a lower risk of death.
People with diabetes are two- to three-times more likely to die prematurely and develop heart disease compared to the general population. In type 2 diabetes, the body can’t use insulin efficiently to break down blood sugar.
Researchers analyzed data from 7,822 women with type 2 diabetes who were enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study. This study included 121,700 female nurses and began in 1976.
Investigators found participants who ate the most bran had a 35-percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease. These women also had a 28-percent reduced risk of death from all causes.
Bran is found in whole grains and is rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. Previous research suggests high intakes of whole grains may protect against systemic inflammation and dysfunction of the cells that line the blood vessels.
“To my knowledge, this is the first study of whole grain and its components and risk of death in diabetic patients,” Lu Qi, M.D., Ph.D., senior author of the study, was quoted as saying. “These findings suggest a potential benefit of whole grain, and particularly bran, in reducing death and cardiovascular risk in diabetic patients.”
SOURCE: Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, May 2010