Conclusions /interpretationPooled analyses demonstrated that pulses , alone or in low-GI or high-fibre diets , improve markers of longer term glycaemic control in humans , with the extent of the improvements subject to significant inter- study heterogeneity .
Aims /hypothesisDietary non-oil-seed pulses ( chickpeas , beans , peas , lentils , etc . )
are a good source of slowly digestible carbohydrate , fibre and vegetable protein and a valuable means of lowering the glycaemic-index ( GI ) of the diet .
To assess the evidence that dietary pulses may benefit glycaemic control , we conducted a systematic review and meta- analysis of r and omised controlled experimental trials investigating the effect of pulses , alone or as part of low-GI or high-fibre diets , on markers of glycaemic control in people with and without diabetes .
Whole foods and increased dietary fibre improve blood glucose control in diabetic children.
In prescribing a diabetic diet more attention has traditionally been paid to the amount of dietary carbohydrate than to its type or structure . We have compared the effect on blood glucose of substituting unrefined , whole foods for refined , processed foods in liberal carbohydrate diets ( 50 - 55 % of dietary energy ) eaten by 10 diabetic children in a r and omised crossover study . All measurements were made at home . The unrefined diet used whole foods ( including ) dried beans ) supplying 60 g/day of dietary fibre . The refined diet used processed foods supplying 20 g/day of dietary fibre . Diets were isocaloric for carbohydrate , fat , and protein . Glycaemic control was assessed by daily urine analysis for glucose , home blood glucose measurements , glycosylated haemoglobin , and by a 24-hour profile of blood and urinary glucose carried out at home after 6 weeks on each diet . Glycaemic control was significantly better on the unrefined diet . On profile days mean blood glucose levels on the unrefined and refined diets respectively were : prepr and ial : 5.5 and 8.4 mmol/l ; postpr and ial 8.5 and 12.2 mmol/l . The mean 24-hour urinary glucose excretion on the unrefined diet was 9.3 g and on the refined diet was 38.0 g. Six months after the study the children were eating appreciably more  dietary fibre  than before ( mean increase 13.6 g/day ) . Attention to food type and structure can improve blood glucose control in diabetic children and should provide an acceptable and more rational basis for dietary prescription than one based on carbohydrate quantity alone
Conclusions /interpretationPooled analyses demonstrated that pulses , alone or in low-GI or high-fibre diets , improve markers of longer term glycaemic control in humans , with the extent of the improvements subject to significant inter- study heterogeneity .
Aims /hypothesisDietary non-oil-seed pulses ( chickpeas , beans , peas , lentils , etc . )
are a good source of slowly digestible carbohydrate , fibre and vegetable protein and a valuable means of lowering the glycaemic-index ( GI ) of the diet .
To assess the evidence that dietary pulses may benefit glycaemic control , we conducted a systematic review and meta- analysis of r and omised controlled experimental trials investigating the effect of pulses , alone or as part of low-GI or high-fibre diets , on markers of glycaemic control in people with and without diabetes .