Eating certain foods at specific times of the day appears to have powerful life-prolonging effects for diabetics, according to a new study. The researchers’ breakfast recommendation was particularly surprising.
Calories and portion size aren’t the only things that seem to affect heart health diabetics, but also the times of the day when they eat certain foods. Researchers at Harbin Medical University (China) found out that sufferers who align a special diet according to their “internal nutritional clock” live longer.
Data from 4642 people with diabetes analyzed
Researchers analyzed dietary habits and health records of 4,642 people with diabetes who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2014. The scientists then looked at what foods the diabetics ate at what time of day and how many of the people had died of heart disease in the meantime. A fairly clear pattern emerged, from which the researchers now derived clear dietary guidelines for diabetics.
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The ideal diabetic breakfast: potatoes
Particularly unusual: potatoes for breakfast are the perfect start to a diabetic’s day. This is what the study says, which has now been published in the journal “The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism”. Unfortunately, the investigation does not reveal exactly why this is the case. Potatoes are considered a food with a high glykämischem Index (GI) which diabetics should avoid. But apparently eating potatoes in the morning has a good effect on blood sugar and Co.
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Noon is the best time of day for diabetics whole grain productsevenings should Dairy products and green vegetables like Broccoli or spinach land on the plate. Meat only has hardly any negative effects if it is as unprocessed as possible. “We have observed that potatoes in the morning, whole grains in the afternoon, and vegetables and milk in the evening prolong the lives of people with diabetes,” study leader Qingrao Song summarizes her findings in a statement from the “Endoctrine Society”.2
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Which food increases the risk of fatal heart disease in diabetics
According to the study, one “food-time” connection proved to be particularly fatal for the health of the subjects: processed meat in the evening. Diabetics who ate sausage, ham or bacon at this time of day died more often than average from heart disease. The research team now hopes that the optimal meal times and suitable foods will be integrated into future guidelines for diabetics.