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Replace Butter With Mediterranean Diet To Reduce Diabetes Risk

by Julia Samuel on Feb 20 2017 2:52 PM
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Highlights

  • Eating butter may double the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.
  • Those who consumed just 12 grams (0.42 ounces) of butter were twice as likely to develop the disease within the next five years.
  • Switching to Mediterranean diet rich in legumes, whole grain cereals, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and foods low in animal fat like red meat and pastries can help lower diabetes risk.
Butter consumption may double the risk of diabetes. Saturated fats in butter might be the reason for the risk.
Evidence also points to the saturated fatty acids and trans fats in butter as a precursor to obesity. This means that butter not only doubles the chance of getting diabetes, it also increases risks for obesity-related diseases.

Researchers examined the diets of more than 3000 people in a recent study. At the start the participants, were free of diabetes but at high risk of heart disease or stroke.

Four and a half years later, 266 of them were diagnosed with diabetes. This was twice as likely among those who consumed higher amounts of saturated fatty acids and animal fat.

The study concludes that those who consumed just 12 grams (0.42 ounces) of butter were twice as likely to develop the disease within the next five years.

Scientists recommend switching to Mediterranean diet - ingredients which include legumes, whole grain cereals, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and food low in animal fat like red meat and pastries.

"These findings emphasize the healthy benefits of a Mediterranean diet for preventing chronic diseases, particularly type 2 diabetes", Dr Marta Guasch-Ferre, of Harvard University, says.

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Substituting saturated and animal fats, especially red and processed meat, for those found in vegetable sources such as olive oil and nuts can help control blood sugar levels of people with Type 2 diabetes.

Source-Medindia


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