A cure for diabetes

Are you a diabetes patient? We are sure by now you must have been flooded with advises from everybody concerning your diet. It is true that a diabetic needs to be extra cautious of what he puts on his plate, but as they say, ‘too many cooks spoil the broth’. When it comes to diabetes, it seems as if everyone has a tip or tow to share. But it is upon you to distinguish which ones are actually effective and which ones are not. A diabetic should definitely cut out all sources of refined sugar and carbohydrates and fill up their kitchen pantry with more whole grains. Some spices like cinnamon, fenugreek seeds and turmeric are known to keep your blood sugar levels in check. Fibre-rich fruits and vegetables are also a must, and one fibre-rich fruit you could consider loading up on is pomegranate.

Pomegranates are packed with antioxidants. Pomegranates have almost three times the antioxidants of green tea and red wine. These antioxidants help in fighting damage caused by free radicals and chronic diseases like diabetes. Experts have claimed that pomegranate seeds may help improve insulin sensitivity, and thus, are beneficial for diabetics. Additionally, pomegranates are also low in carbs (19 grams in 100 grams). Carbohydrates get metabolised very quickly causing blood sugar spike. This is why diabetics are advised to include low carb foods in their diet. The estimated glycaemic load (GL) of pomegranate is 18, which makes it an excellent fruit to manage blood sugar levels.

The book ‘Healing Spices’ by Bharat B. Aggarwal with Deborah Yost also advises having more pomegranates for its range of health benefits. “In animal studies from the US, Australia, and India, pomegranate (pomegranate flower and pomegranate seed oil) controlled and reversed diabetes itself,” notes the book.

Pomegranates can help manage a lot of conditions that are known to be linked with diabetes too. According to a study published in the journal Atherosclerosis, researchers examined the effects of drinking a specially prepared concentrated pomegranate juice. A group was given pomegranate juice and another was given placebo. The group that drank pomegranate juice every day for three months had reduced risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries) – a condition commonly associated with diabetes. However, it must be noted that the study sample of the group was pretty small. The researchers examined only 20 people. Go ahead, have these delicious fruit but make sure you do not go overboard. Remember moderation is the key to good health.