The Power of Oatmeal and its Historical Significance in Diabetes Treatment

Oatmeal had a significant impact on diabetes treatment before the discovery of insulin. The oatmeal cure originated from Dr. Carl von Nordens in 1903, where diabetic patients showed improvement when put on an oatmeal diet. Despite initial skepticism, prominent doctors like Dr. James B. Herrick confirmed its effectiveness. The oatmeal diet was observed to have salutatory effects, especially in young diabetes patients. It was noted that excluding animal protein from the diet enhanced the benefits of oatmeal, as animal protein intensified insulin resistance. In contrast, plant-based foods improved insulin sensitivity. Studies revealed that replacing animal protein with plant sources significantly improved blood sugar control and other cardiometabolic risk factors. The difference between animal and plant protein lies in branched-chain amino acids present in animal protein, which could lead to insulin resistance. This was demonstrated when giving vegans branched-chain amino acid supplements increased their insulin resistance levels. Ultimately, the historical significance of oatmeal in diabetes treatment highlights the importance of plant-based diets and the adverse effects of excessive animal protein consumption.