Diabetes type 2: The 60p drink to have at bedtime that lowers blood sugar next morning
Diabetes type 2: Dr Zoe Williams discusses high blood sugar risks
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Type 2 diabetes is the result of a dysfunction in the way the body processes insulin – a hormone secreted by the pancreas. The primary role of insulin is to regulate blood sugar – the main type of sugar found in blood. Without this mechanism, blood sugar levels rise and the consequences can be catastrophic.
Finding alternative ways to stabilise blood sugar levels throughout the day is therefore top priority if you have type 2 diabetes.
Waning insulin overnight can cause people with type 2 diabetes to wake up with raging blood sugar levels.
However, there is a dietary fix for this common problem. According to research published in the journal Diabetes Care, vinegar ingestion at bedtime can help to lower blood sugar next morning.
“The aim of this pilot study was to examine whether vinegar ingestion at bedtime reduces the next-morning fasting glucose concentration in individuals with type 2 diabetes,” the study researchers wrote.
Four men and seven women (aged 40–72 years) diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (by a physician) who were not taking insulin completed the study.
Participants maintained 24-hour diet records for three days and measured fasting glucose at 7am for three consecutive days.
Fasting glucose is a measurement of how much glucose (blood sugar) you have in your blood after an eight-hour fast.
Participants were instructed to continue usual prescription medication use during the study.
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They were instructed to consume either two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or water at bedtime with one ounce of cheese.
The standardised meal plan was designed to reflect the individual’s typical diet.
“Closer examination of the data revealed that the vinegar treatment was particularly effective for the participants with a typical fasting glucose in these individuals,” the researchers found.
They observed a six percent reduction in fasting glucose in the vinegar group.
“These data suggest that vinegar ingestion at bedtime may favourably impact waking glucose concentrations in type 2 diabetes,” the researchers concluded.
The blood sugar-lowering effect of acetic acid – the active ingredient in vinegar – has been attributed to reduced starch digestion and/or delayed gastric emptying, they added.
General tips to lower blood sugar
A healthy diet and keeping active will help you manage your blood sugar level.
There’s nothing you cannot eat if you have type 2 diabetes, but you’ll have to limit certain foods, notes the NHS.
You should:
- Eat a wide range of foods – including fruit, vegetables and some starchy foods like pasta
- Keep sugar, fat and salt to a minimum
- Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner every day – do not skip meals.
Type 2 diabetes – symptoms to spot
Many people have type 2 diabetes without realising. This is because symptoms do not necessarily make you feel unwell.
Symptoms of type 2 diabetes include:
- Peeing more than usual, particularly at night
- Feeling thirsty all the time
- Feeling very tired
- Losing weight without trying to
- Itching around your penis or vagina, or repeatedly getting thrush
- Cuts or wounds taking longer to heal
- Blurred vision.
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