FYI Health Tip
Vitamin-D-fortified yogurt twice a day can improve glycemic control in diabetics.
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Vitamin D for diabetes control? Vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin because our bodies are designed to make vitamin D in our skin when exposed to the sun’s rays. We know vitamin D improves bone integrity, immunity and reduces inflammation. Now, a small study shows consuming vitamin D-fortified yogurt twice a day with regular meals can improve glycemic control in diabetics. After 12 weeks, blood sugar, insulin levels and insulin resistance in participants consuming fortified yogurt decreased significantly while serum vitamin D levels increased.
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Loading ...Globally, the incidence of diabetes is expected to more than double from 2000 to 2030. With vitamin D deficiency a continuing problem, finding ways to add more of this powerful nutrient to our diets is more important than ever.
Besides yogurt, good sources of vitamin D include
- Fortified milk and orange juice
- Fgg yolks
- Salmon, mackerel and tuna
- Sunlight
How can you easily fit a nutrient-packed diet into a busy lifestyle? Try these simple suggestions:
- Toss a yogurt in your bag on your way out the door in the morning
- Choose milk over soda with your lunch
- Add hard-boiled egg slices to your dinner salad
The study was short and doesn’t allow for long-term conclusions. But, in the meantime, we have a great excuse to enjoy the sun now that spring is finally here.
The supporting research
Vitamin D Reduces Weight and Blood Sugar in Diabetics
Summary
Vitamin D has been proven to have an effect on pancreatic insulin secretion, and by extension diabetes; calcium also has an indirect role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Given the high prevalence of diabetes, this study was designed to look at the effects of a vitamin D- and calcium-supplemented yogurt on the blood sugar level in type-2 diabetics. In this study, 90 diabetics were randomized into three groups, each receiving either plain yogurt, yogurt with vitamin D, or yogurt with both vitamin D and calcium. It was seen that the blood sugar level improved in both the groups receiving vitamin D, irrespective of the calcium supplementation.
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