Fatty foods have long been viewed as the enemy; the cause
of diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, but new research
has shed a light on fat consumption.
We know that when fat accumulates around the abdomen it
increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome
and type 2 diabetes. Doctors recommend that people who are
heavier in the midsection, reduce this area with diet and
exercise.
According to a study that appeared in Diabetes Care, a journal
published by the American Diabetes Association, a diet rich in
monounsaturated fats (MUFA) may help reduce abdominal fat better
than a carbohydrate rich diet.
When test subjects ate a carbohydrate enriched diet, they tended
to accumulate fat in the abdomen. When they ate a diet that had
more MUFA, abdominal fat concentration decreased, even without
exercise. |
Some of you may know of MUFAs, as they are an important
part of the highly popular "Flat Belly Diet," which focuses on
counting calories and consuming these foods to whittle the
middle.
Foods that are MUFA rich include: olives and olive oil, nuts and
nut oils, seeds and seed oils such as sesame and flaxseed, grape
seed oil, soybean oil and avocados.
In persons with type 2 diabetes, high-MUFA diets are an
alternative to conventional lower-fat, high-carb diets with
comparable beneficial effects on body weight, body composition,
cardiovascular risk factors, and glycemic control. |
When working with patients who have diabetes, diet is a
very important part of managing their health, making this new
insight invaluable for healthcare workers and their patients.
To learn more about diabetes, including how it affects the body,
complications associated with it, current medications and the
importance of developing a long term care plan we recommend
viewing our NEVCO program, “Diabetes, A Comprehensive Update.”
To view the research study on MUFA’s and Diabetes please visit:
MedScape.com and
About.com |
