Part 3 - Fighting type 2 diabetes with fiber

The trick with the salad

Now you might be asking yourself: "Should I give up my beloved pasta?" Don't worry, you don't have to! There's a simple trick you can use to enjoy your pasta and keep your blood sugar levels in check at the same time. The magic word is: order!

Imagine you're setting the table. Instead of starting with the pasta, you put a bowl of crunchy salad on the table first. Sounds unspectacular? That's deceptive!

Here's what happens when you eat the salad first:

• Fiber barrier: The fiber in the salad forms a kind of protective shield in your stomach. They slow down the absorption of the carbohydrates from the pasta.
• Gentle ascent: Instead of a steep curve, your blood sugar level now experiences a gentle rise. Not a rollercoaster, more like a gentle hilly landscape.
• Insulin in balance: Your pancreas does not have to release insulin in a panic. It produces just the right amount.
• Feeling of satiety: The fiber helps you feel full faster. You automatically eat less of the carbohydrate-rich pasta.
• No ravenous appetite: As your blood sugar level remains stable, you won't feel any sudden cravings for sweets after eating.

The best part? You don't have to do anything special. Just change the order: First the salad, then the pasta. It can be that easy to do something good for your body.

But lettuce has another ace up its sleeve. Not only is it good for your blood sugar levels, it's also a feast for your tiny intestinal inhabitants.

Curious? Find out in the next section!