Diabetes is a chronic disease affecting more than 37 million Americans – about 10% of the population. When a person has diabetes, their body cannot properly process and use glucose (sugar) from the foods they eat. There are different types of diabetes, but they share the common issue of having too much glucose in the bloodstream and challenges moving it where it needs to go. Chronic high blood sugar eventually damages the body and can lead to other serious health issues, including vision loss, nerve damage, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease, to name a few.
How to Manage Diabetes
Some people with diabetes require medication to keep their blood sugar in check. These individuals still benefit from adopting a healthy lifestyle to help manage the disease, its symptoms and reduce the risk of complications. Some people can manage their diabetes without medications by focusing on proper nutrition, maintaining a healthy weight, and staying active. Specific to nutrition practices, here are several essential tips to help manage blood sugar and other associated effects of diabetes.
Focus on eating more:
- Foods from plants: vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds
- Lean sources of protein
- Fiber
- Heart-healthy fats (like omega-3 fat and monounsaturated fat)
- Foods with low or no added sugar
- Foods that are whole or minimally processed (not ultra-processed)
How Xia Fiber Can Play a Part in Diabetes Management
Chia is a rich source of highly viscose, soluble dietary fiber. A boost in soluble fiber intake may also increase success in helping reduce inflammation and insulin responses. (1,2,3) Several studies have shown that increased fiber intake, especially viscous or soluble fibers, slows the release of sugar (glucose)into the bloodstream and blunts excessive insulin responses. Several studies have also demonstrated improvements in insulin sensitivity and blood glucose responses. (4,5)
Soluble fiber has also been demonstrated to reduce food Glycemic Index (GI) and thus decrease the postprandial glycemic response—slowing the rise in blood sugar. The consumption of Chia fiber has shown to lower postprandial plasma glucose and lower postprandial plasma insulin while improving insulin sensitivity in healthy individuals. (6)
Based on a long-term study published in the peer-reviewed journal, Diabetes Care, supplementing the existing diet with Chia, which is high in dietary fiber, ALA omega-3 fatty acid, antioxidants, may have cardio-protective properties by helping reduce conventional and emerging risk factors for heart disease in patients with type 2 diabetes (7).
In a well-designed animal study, when Chia was added to the diet, researchers saw significant reversals in insulin resistance, lowered triglyceride levels, and reduced abdominal fat compared to the control group. (8)
In fact, research has shown that chia can help lower:
- Weight in overweight and obese individuals
- Waist circumference
- Postprandial glycemia (how blood sugar rises after eating)
- Blood pressure
- HbA1C (an average measure of blood sugar over the past 3 months)
- C-Reactive Protein (a marker of inflammation)
- Blood lipids (like cholesterol and triglycerides)
When these indicators are within a healthy range, we see fewer secondary health issues in individuals with diabetes.
How does chia benefit all of these factors? While there’s more research to be done, scientists attribute these changes to the combination of a high amount of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, quality plant protein, vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals (like antioxidants), each working independently and together synergistically.
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