Low-Glycemic-Index Diet and Diabetes

Low-glycemic-index (LGI) diets are sometimes recommended for prevention and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), despite mixed results from clinical trials. In a Canadian study, researchers evaluated such diets in patients with DM that was not fully controlled by medication (glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA_1c], 6.5%–8.0%); 210 subjects (mean age, 61) were randomized to an LGI diet or a high-cereal fiber diet (also often recommended for DM patients) and followed for 6 months. The LGI diet emphasized bulgur; large-flake oatmeal; oat bran; pasta, rice; beans; lentils; nuts; and breads made with rye, quinoa, and flaxseed. The high-cereal fiber diet emphasized whole-grain and whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and unpeeled potatoes. Foods that c…