A diet rich in fiber has been shown to lower cholesterol and normalize blood sugar in diabetics. Many diabetics can maintain their blood sugar, and as a result, reduce their diabetic and cholesterol medications or stop taking them altogether, by eating lots of high fiber foods.
A recent study published in the May issue of The New England Journal of Medicine found that blood sugar levels were reduced by 8.9% on a high fiber diet. It also lowered cholesterol and triglycerides.
Fiber comes from the cell walls of plants. Additionally, fiber and water work together to keep the bowels regular.
Unfortunately, the majority of high fiber foods also contain a high amount of carbohydrates, and if you are diabetic, those will increase your blood sugar levels dramatically.
Below are lists of low-carb foods that are also high in fiber, along with the approximate number of grams of fiber they contain.
The fiber content shown is for a quantity of 1/2 cup.
Low-Carb Fruits
- Blackberries, 4.9 grams
- Avocado, 3.8 grams
- Medium-sized Apple, 3.6 grams
- Raspberries, 2.6 grams
- Blueberries, 2.1 grams
- Cherries, 1.5 grams
- Strawberries, 1.4 grams
Low-Carb Vegetables
- Brussels Sprouts, 3.1 grams
- Broccoli, 2.7 grams
- Greens, cooked, 2-4 grams (beet greens, collards, kale, spinach, and turnip greens)
- Mushrooms, canned, 2.0 grams
- Green Beans, 1.4 - 2 grams (broad beans, pole beans, and snap beans)
- Asparagus, 1.8 grams
- Okra, 1.6 grams
- Zucchini, 1.3 grams
- Yellow Summer Squash, 1.3 grams
- Cauliflower, 1.4 grams
- Onions, 1.3 grams
- Celery, 1.1 grams
- Peppers, 1.1 grams
Including more of the above foods in your diet will help in lowering cholesterol levels.
You should make changes to your diet to include more high fiber foods, and do it gradually. Just add a few grams at a time so that your digestive system can adjust.
It's best to increase the amount of fiber in your diet over several weeks. This prevents problems with stomach-aches, bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
The message is, increase the amount of fiber in your diet!
