Nutrition Facts with Dr. Greger cover image

Nutrition Facts with Dr. Greger

The Oatmeal Cure

Jul 20, 2023
Discover the surprising power of oatmeal for diabetes treatment, including its benefits in blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity. Explore the potential long-term health benefits and learn about the significant improvements in blood sugars experienced by type two diabetes patients after following a two-day oatmeal diet.
16:13

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The high fiber content in oatmeal, specifically beta-glucan, improves blood sugar control in type 2 diabetics by acting as a prebiotic and positively affecting the gut microbiome.
  • Oatmeal interventions have shown significant short-term benefits in managing diabetes by reducing insulin requirements and improving blood sugar levels, and can have long-lasting effects.

Deep dives

The Power of Oatmeal in Treating Diabetes

Oatmeal has a long history in treating diabetes, even before the discovery of insulin. The oatmeal cure, first introduced by Carl von Nordens, showed promising results in managing diabetes and improving the health of patients. The oatmeal diet was proven to be particularly effective in juvenile and adolescent diabetes. Studies have shown that the benefits of oatmeal in diabetes treatment are attributed to its exclusion of animal protein, which intensifies insulin resistance, and its high fiber content, specifically beta-glucan. The fiber in oatmeal acts as a prebiotic, positively affecting the gut microbiome and leading to improved blood sugar control in type 2 diabetics. Multiple randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that oats can significantly improve short-term and long-term blood sugar control, decrease insulin requirements, and lower cholesterol levels.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode