Answer to Question #223993 in English for Tshiamo Mauwane

Question

Yolandi is 52 years old, is a type 2 diabetic, and is obese. She explains to you that the doctor has recently told her that she has a high blood cholesterol level. Explain to Yolandi the beneficial effects of starches and dietary fibres on her heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

Answer 1

Fiber-rich carbohydrate foods benefit health in many ways. Foods such as whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits supply valuable vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, along with abundant dietary fiber and little or no fat. Diets rich in whole grains, legumes, and vegetables, especially those rich in whole grains, may protect against heart disease and stroke by lowering blood pressure, improving blood lipids, and reducing inflammation. Such diets are generally low in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol and high in dietary fibers, vegetable proteins, and phytochemicals, all factors associated with a lower risk of heart disease. High-fiber foods, and especially whole grains, play a key role in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. The soluble fibers of foods such as oats and legumes can help regulate the blood glucose following a carbohydrate-rich meal. Soluble fibers trap nutrients and delay their transit through the digestive tract, slows absorption of glucose and prevents the glucose surge and rebound often associated with diabetes onset.