Foods that lowers Blood Glucose

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Food That Lowers Blood GlucoseBy Waheed Elqalatawy

Article Word Count: 386

Glucose present in the blood is the result of ingesting foods that release glucose from the gastrointestinal tract to the circulation.During starvation, the body -mainly the liver- released amounts of glucose are just sufficient to keep glucose levels in the blood within the normal range.

Physiologically under normal conditions, Insulin is secreted in response to glucose stimulation of the beta-cells of the pancreas. To lower blood glucose, we have to either reduce the intake of high glucose releasing foods, or stimulate the pancreas to secrete more insulin.

Sometimes the pancreas B-cells ability to secrete Insulin is partially or completely devastated leading to none insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) -type 2-, or Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus(IDDM) -type l-, respectively.

The other condition that may elevate blood glucose is what is known as insulin-resistance, i.e.a reduced response of the body cells to the effects of insulin resulting in reduced cell uptake of glucose and causing the level of glucose in the blood to rise.

Since insulin effect is mediated through cell receptors, hence any agent that modulate receptors so that their response to insulin is enhanced, will result in enhancing glucose uptake by the cells and lowering its blood level ( actually this the way many oral hypo-glycemic drugs act).

Many plants act this way of modulating cell receptors,consequently the traditionally used herbs or foods by diabetics are candidates for modulating insulin receptors.

There are foods that affect the blood glucose loading capacity of some other foods that release glucose into circulation quickly i.e. these foods reduce the Glycemic Index of some other foods by either:

1- Slowing the gastric emptying (decreased motility of the gastro- intestinal tract) and thus slowing the rate at which glucose is delivered to the circulation.

2- Holding the glucose(with other molecules) within a gel consistency these foods form with water and also slow the rate of glucose delivery to the circulation.

To summarise, foods that lower blood glucose may act through

1- Increasing the ability of pancreas cells to secrete insulin in response to glucose stimulation.

2- Modulating the body cell receptors of insulin. Onions, garlic,mustard and other S containing plants probably act here.

3- Decreasing insulin inactivation. Onions, garlic probably act here.

4- Reducing the Glycemic Index of some foods. Fenugreek may act here.

Waheed Elqalatawy writes simple scientific articles on health topics.If you want details of food that lowers blood sugar, visit => http://www.waheedelqalatawy.blogspot.com

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MLA Style Citation:Elqalatawy, Waheed "Food That Lowers Blood Glucose." Food That Lowers Blood Glucose. 16 Oct. 2006. EzineArticles.com. 21 Jun 2008 <http://ezinearticles.com/?Foods-that-Lower-Blood-Glucose & id=329310>.

APA Style Citation:Elqalatawy, W. (2006, October 16). Food That Lowers Blood Glucose. Retrieved June 21, 2008, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Foods-that-Lower-Blood-Glucose & id=329310

Chicago Style Citation:Elqalatawy, Waheed "Food That Lowers Blood Glucose." Food That Lowers Blood Glucose EzineArticles.com. http://ezinearticles.com/?Foods-that-Lower-Blood-Glucose & id=329310

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