{"id":22636,"date":"2020-07-10T14:57:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-10T14:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bensnaturalhealth.com\/blog\/?post_type=diabeteshealth&p=22636"},"modified":"2026-05-27T02:28:43","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T02:28:43","slug":"fiber-and-diabetes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bensnaturalhealth.com\/blog\/diabetes-health\/fiber-and-diabetes\/","title":{"rendered":"Dietary Fiber – How Does It Benefit Diabetes?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fiber is found in carbohydrate foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Carbohydrates have the biggest impact on blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Carbohydrates are broken down into sugar or glucose<\/a>, which enters the bloodstream. When people with diabetes eat a lot of carbohydrates at once, their blood sugar levels may be higher than their target or goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fiber is a carbohydrate but doesn\u2019t affect blood sugar levels because the body doesn\u2019t absorb it. Fiber can also slow gastric emptying, meaning the food takes longer to be broken down into sugar, which is one of the ways it can help diabetes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eating fiber-rich foods can help avoid blood sugar spikes<\/a>, which can occur when eating rapidly-digested carbohydrates, such as white bread and refined sugar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

When counting carbohydrates for blood sugar control, one of the essential things to note is the net carbohydrate content. The net carbohydrate amount is the total carbohydrates minus dietary fiber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The resulting \u201cnet carbs\u201d is the amount that should be counted because it affects blood sugar. Fiber is subtracted from total carbohydrates because it doesn\u2019t raise blood sugar since it can\u2019t be digested. Therefore, choosing dietary fiber foods will result in lower net carbohydrate totals, one strategy for promoting optimal blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reducing blood sugar spikes helps promote more balanced blood sugar levels throughout the day. Rebound hypoglycemia<\/a> may also be reduced when fiber-rich foods are consumed since blood sugar spikes can trigger rebound lows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fiber is also known for its heart health benefits. People with diabetes are at increased risk of heart disease, which is another reason it\u2019s recommended for people with diabetes to eat a fiber-rich diet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fiber, particularly soluble fiber, can reduce LDL cholesterol levels, also known as \u201cbad\u201d cholesterol. High LDL levels are a risk factor for forming blockages in the arteries, and can also increase inflammation. Fiber intake has been associated with improvements in blood sugar and hemoglobin A1c levels<\/a> and helps prevent diabetes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consuming fiber can help increase satiety and promote weight loss. A study found that fiber intake promotes weight loss<\/a> and can improve adherence to a reduced-calorie diet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weight loss is one of the tools found to be beneficial in the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Weight loss of 5-10% of initial body weight has been associated with a 58% reduction in diabetes risk, so the fiber can be a helpful tool in the effort to lose weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How should you add more <\/strong>fiber<\/strong> to your <\/strong>diet<\/strong>?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s recommended to consume around 25-35 grams of fiber per day<\/a>; however, most people fall short of this recommendation. It\u2019s ideal for getting fiber from natural sources, such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fiber-enriched products can help you reach your daily fiber goal, but they may also come with added sugars and a longer list of ingredients than a whole-foods approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fiber-enriched foods can also have very large amounts of fiber in one serving, which can cause digestive upset. It\u2019s fine to include dietary fiber foods in your diet, but they should be used with care to prevent overloading on fiber and potentially missing out on nutrients from natural fiber sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s best to slowly increase your fiber intake to avoid negative digestive symptoms, such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Starting with small boosts of fiber and gradually increasing it over the course of a few weeks is a good way to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also important to make sure you\u2019re drinking adequate amounts of fluids when increasing your fiber intake. Without adequate fluid consumption, fiber can become constipating, as it needs plenty of fluid to help it flow easily through the digestive system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some easy ideas to boost your fiber intake include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n