Leading Diabetes Center releases nutrition guidelines individuals with type 2 diabetes

29/07/05 Joslin Diabetes Center, a global leader in diabetes research and education, recently released new nutrition guidelines for overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes. The new guidelines recommend that 30 to 35 percent of calories in the daily diet come from fat, primarily mono- and polyunsaturated fats as found in California avocados.

The new guidelines were crafted to help Americans fight the dramatic increase in type 2 diabetes. According to the Joslin Diabetes Center, diabetes affects over 18 million Americans, including an increasing number of young people. An estimated 41 million Americans have pre-diabetes and are at risk of developing full-blown type 2 diabetes unless they lose weight and increase physical activity. Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease and other serious complications.

The guidelines recommend that people who are overweight or obese carefully choose their fat, protein and carbohydrate sources.

Studies show that monounsaturated fats can improve the sensitivity of cells to insulin(1), which in turn, helps keep blood sugar at appropriate levels. Substituting monounsaturated fat for saturated fat also helps lower LDL cholesterol while maintaining HDL cholesterol, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease(2-3), the leading cause of death in people with diabetes.

Avocados make good substitutes for foods with high saturated fats. For instance, avocado can be spread on toast or bagels in place of butter or margarine. Guacamole is a delicious dip for vegetables instead of high fat dressings.

Nutrient dense avocados are the only fruit that contains monounsaturated fats, along with vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds that can help maximize the nutrient quality of the diet.