How Protein & Fiber Transform your Health!

How Protein & Fiber Transform your Health!

Jan 27, 2025Prolicious | Protein & Delicious!

Managing blood sugar is extremely important for health and wellness especially for people with prediabetes, diabetes, PCOS or simply for weight management. Diet plays an extremely important role when it comes to managing blood sugar.

The most effective dietary weapon for blood sugar management is plant protein & fiber. Both nutrients work in sync for blood sugar management avoiding glucose spikes.

Let’s dive deep into how plant protein and fiber can help to keep your blood sugar in check.

Protein for Blood Sugar Management:

Protein is the hero nutrient when it comes to muscle building. However, protein offers miraculous benefits when it comes to blood sugar management: The ICMR INDIAB study states that consuming 20% of your caloric intake from proteins helps with effective blood sugar management and even reversal of prediabetes. Few ways protein helps with blood sugar management.

1.      Stimulates Insulin Secretion:

Protein helps manage blood sugar by triggering insulin secretion. Insulin is a hormone responsible for blood sugar balance (1). Protein when combined with glucose or carbohydrates leads to lesser blood sugar spike as compared to glucose alone. This effect of insulin to protein is more evident in people with diabetes compared to healthy individuals. (2)

2.      Reduced Post meal glucose spikes:

Usually, after consumption of carbohydrates blood sugar typically rises. Since protein stimulates insulin secretion, consuming protein with carbohydrates reduces glucose spike post meals. Consuming protein rich food with carbs slows the absorption of glucose in the bloodstream leading to a slow rise rather than a sharp spike.

3.      Preserves Muscle Mass:

Muscle is a highly metabolic tissue – which means it burns energy even at rest. Protein supports healthy muscle mass and thus enhances insulin sensitivity. The more muscle mass, the better your body processes and absorbs blood glucose. This contributes to better blood sugar balance.

Fiber for Blood Sugar Management:

Fiber is well known for its benefits on digestive health and thus overall health. However, fiber has a great impact on blood sugar levels:

1.      Slow absorption of nutrients:

Fiber slows the digestion process leading to slow absorption of sugars. This means that glucose enters your bloodstream slowly. This further prevents blood sugar spikes and supports a healthy blood glucose balance.

2.      Improved Blood Sugar Response:

Since fiber slows glucose absorption, it leads to a more stable blood sugar balance post meal. Foods rich in fiber show a better blood sugar response. This further reduces the insulin requirements and thus is beneficial for diabetics.

3.      Role of Gut Microbiome:

Dietary fibers are fermented in the colon which leads to production of short chain fatty acids. This process improves insulin secretion by enhancing the production of GLP-1 and PYY. These hormones promote satiety and thus lead to reduced caloric intake which further helps with sugar management.

THE COMBINED EFFECT OF PROTEIN & FIBER:

Both Protein & Fiber:

1.      Slow glucose absorption

2.      Regulate post meal blood sugars

Both of these are the major mechanisms which help with efficient blood sugar management.

Prolicious UP IT has the perfect combination of both of these nutrients ensuring blood sugar management. The plant proteins in UP IT further supports blood sugar management, thanks to both of these nutrients.

REFERENCES:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9416027/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/13814282_Protein_Metabolism_and_Effect_on_Blood_Glucose_Levels

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