Type 2 diabetes can be a 'devastating diagnosis' says expert
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Type 2 diabetes can prove detrimental if blood sugar levels are left to their own devices. People with the condition have to find alternative means of countering blood sugar spikes as they lack a hormone called insulin which usually takes care of this job. Fortunately, research suggests that a sweet snack could help.
Characterised by their sweet and tangy flavour, raisins offer more than a pleasant-tasting addition to cakes and breakfast cereals.
Packed with iron, fibre, polyphenols and other goodies, raisins are popular snacks with a favourable nutritional profile.
What’s more, research, published in the Journal of Nutritional Science, suggests the small colourful foods could also lower your blood sugar within “two hours”.
Previous studies have shown that moderate fructose intake from fruits was beneficial for blood sugar levels.
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With that in mind, the research team set out to investigate whether raisins could bring about similar results.
Looking at 10 healthy participants who were both male and female, the researchers constructed three meal plans to be followed over two to eight weeks.
The first meal was white bread served as the control, the second meal consisted of 69 grams of raisins and 50 grams of available carbohydrates.
Lastly, the final meal included 28 grams of raisins and 20 grams of available carbohydrates.
After tucking into these food options, postprandial glucose – the level of sugar in blood after eating and drinking – and insulin of the participants were measured over a two-hour period.
The findings showed that both of the raisin meals resulted in “significantly” reduced blood sugar levels and insulin responses, compared to white bread.
Furthermore, the research team classed raisins as a low-GI food, meaning that this snack gets broken down more slowly by the body after eating.
From wholegrain bread to leafy vegetables, low-GI foods are suitable options for people with diabetes because they can help keep blood glucose levels more stable, according to Diabetes.co.uk.
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The researchers concluded: “The favourable effect of raisins on postprandial glycaemic response, their insulin-sparing effect and low GI combined with their other metabolic benefits may indicate that raisins are a healthy choice not only for the general population but also for individuals with diabetes or insulin resistance.”
In case you aren’t aware, insulin resistance occurs when your cells don’t respond well to insulin and can’t easily take up glucose from your blood, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases explains.
However, the caveat of the study is that it only included a small sample of participants and none of them had diabetes.
While the research classed raisins as low-GI food, Diabetes.co.uk explains that the popular snack might be a higher-GI food instead.
High GI foods – think white bread, potatoes and sweetened drinks – are those that are quickly broken down into glucose, causing spikes in blood sugar.
According to the health portal, higher GI fruits include the likes of bananas, oranges, mango, grapes, dates, pears and raisins.
Diabetes.co.uk states: “Care should be taken with fruits and vegetables as the GI value of these food groups can vary quite significantly.”
Therefore, it’s difficult to draw a firm conclusion on the small nutrient-packed snack.
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