One of my favourite site about healthy food is WHFoods.com. It contains so much useful information on healthy eating, cooking and living.
I have a couple of relatives who suffer from diabetes and that is why I started to research this topic. George Mateljan researched this topic and wrote some very interesting things and facts about quinoa and diabetes:
Quinoa and other whole grains are a rich source of magnesium, a mineral that acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes, including enzymes involved in the body’s use of glucose and insulin secretion.
The FDA permits foods that contain at least 51% whole grains by weight (and are also low in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol) to display a health claim stating consumption is linked to lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Now, research suggests regular consumption of whole grains also reduces risk of type 2 diabetes. (van Dam RM, Hu FB, Diabetes Care).
In this 8-year trial, involving 41,186 particpants of the Black Women’s Health Study, research data confirmed inverse associations between magnesium, calcium and major food sources in relation to type 2 diabetes that had already been reported in predominantly white populations.
Risk of type 2 diabetes was 31% lower in black women who frequently ate whole grains compared to those eating the least of these magnesium-rich foods. When the women’s dietary intake of magnesium intake was considered by itself, a beneficial, but lesser-19%-reduction in risk of type 2 diabetes was found, indicating that whole grains offer special benefits in promoting healthy blood sugar control. Daily consumption of low-fat dairy foods was also helpful, lowering risk of type 2 diabetes by 13%. Get the benefits of both quinoa and dairy by serving your quinoa with a little low-fat cheese. Try adding a little crumbled feta or parmesan cheese, some pine nuts, chopped onion and parsley to your quinoa for a tasty lunch or dinner whole grain dish.
Source:
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice
