Skinny on Fat for People with Diabetes
The number of Americans affected by diabetes - the nation's fourth leading cause of death by disease - is increasing. Type II diabetes - a condition that is triggered by obesity, inactivity and advancing age - has tripled during the last 30 years.1 However, many Americans don't know the basic facts about diabetes, what it is or what causes it.
The good news is that smart food choices can help prevent or delay the onset of diabetes. Understanding dietary fat is important for people with diabetes since they are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. This risk can be reduced with the appropriate management of dietary fat.
For several years, the recommended diet for individuals with diabetes has been high in carbohydrates and low in fat, but this is changing with new research. Recent studies suggest that - for most people with adult-onset non-insulin dependent diabetes - a lower carbohydrate diet with more monounsaturated fat may reduce risk for cardiovascular disease. Replacing some carbohydrates with monounsaturated fat (the type of fat that is predominantly found in olives) tends to lower blood levels of glucose, insulin and triglycerides.2
California Ripe Olives complement dietary recommendations for individuals with diabetes; 70 percent of the total fat in olives is monounsaturated "good," fat recognized by physicians and dietitians for improving blood lipid levels.
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