In our previous blog post, we have established the concept of ‘Food as Medicine’ – what it entails, and how YOU can reap its full benefits. This week, let’s look into applying this concept in the specific area of diabetes management.
To better understand the highly interlinked connection between Food and Diabetes – which we have been constantly reiterating, here are some research-based evidence to substantiate our points:
Not to worry, we will be summarising and simplifying these scientific publications for your ease of reading! 😊
1. To study the association between food insecurity and control of health conditions, a group of researchers conducted a pilot randomised trial to ‘test whether a novel partnership between a primary care practice and a municipal food bank would improve control of type 2 diabetes among patients with food insecurity.’[P1]
During the study duration of 6 months, participants received 10lbs of food bank produce and 10lbs of canned food including beans, vegetables, and fish or chicken delivered twice monthly.
A registered dietician from the Food Bank also educated study participants on current nutritional guidelines for diabetes management – including how to read and interpret food labels, counting carbohydrates, even tips on creating menus!
RESULTS: At the end of the study, glycosylated hemoglobin (also known as HbA1c levels – a measure for average blood sugar levels over 3 months, an indicator strongly associated with diabetes outcome) decreased by an astounding 3.1%!
2. Another study was similarly conducted to address the issue of food security in relation to diabetes intervention- albeit by a different group of researchers. [P2]
Diabetes-appropriate food was distributed to people in low-income communities.
This six-month pilot intervention also provided blood sugar monitoring, primary care referral, and other self-management support.
RESULTS: Notable improvements in HbA1c levels were recorded – of which, participants with elevated HbA1c (≥7.5%) at baseline had seen an improvement from 9.52% to 9.04%!
While both studies were primarily focused on the association between food insecurity and diabetes management, the results also served to emphasise the importance of diet in generating clinically meaningful outcomes!
Following such a train of thought, can YOU imagine the improvements W0W® noodles may bring to your HbA1c levels – provided it is taken CONSISTENTLY over a 6-month period, just like how it was done in the research?
About W0W® noodles
W0W® noodles, spelt with a ‘0’ - is the only 0 starch, 0 blood sugar spike, 0 waste functional food that contains high fiber and protein. Upcycled from BSG (Barley Spent Grains) – a waste-stream of beer and malt production currently used as animal feed and plant fertilisers, W0W® noodles’ based ingredients consist of barley protein and fiber. It is a clean label, circular free fresh noodles formulated to ‘Empower Health and Restore Pleasure’ for diabetes patients, while being ‘Good for the earth and Good for the people’!
Refer to our Press Release of the Glycaemic Response Study (showing that W0W® noodles did not raise blood sugar level) here: https://www.w0wnoodle.com/post/press-release-glycemic-response-study-shows-that-w0w-noodles-did-not-raise-blood-sugar-level
References:
[1] Ferrer RL, Neira LM, De Leon Garcia GL, Cuellar K, Rodriguez J. Primary Care and Food Bank Collaboration to Address Food Insecurity: A Pilot Randomized Trial. Nutr Metab Insights 2019;12:1178638819866434.
[2] 5 Seligman HK, Lyles C, Marshall MM, Prendergast K, Smith MC, Headings A, et al. A Pilot Food Bank Intervention Featuring DiabetesAppropriate Food Improved Glycemic Control Among Clients in Three States. Health Aff. 2015; 34(11):1956-1963.