Whole Grains Linked with Better Blood Sugar Management

Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, and excess fat around the waist) that can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes if they occur together. In this study, researchers randomly assigned more than 100 adults with metabolic syndrome from Finland and Italy to a diet with whole grains or a control diet without whole grains for 12 weeks. The whole grain group had better blood sugar control after meals. Researchers hypothesize that this may be because eating whole grains may help stimulate the production of certain chemical compounds (betaine compounds, such as pipecolic acid betaine) which are linked with improved insulin resistance and insulin secretion.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018 Sep 25. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy169. [Epub ahead of print]. (Kärkkäinen O et al.)