(Low-Sugar Grains) Controlling Blood Sugar Volatility is Key to Preventing Dementia… Consider Eating Low-Sugar Grains

 

 

 

 

South Korea is projected to enter a super-aged society by 2025. A super-aged society is one in which one in five people is elderly, with those aged 65 and older accounting for more than 20% of the population. With this ageing trend approaching, concerns about dementia, a common geriatric disease, are growing. Blood sugar management is emerging as a key factor in dementia prevention.

 

Fluctuations in blood sugar and blood pressure can lead to dementia.

 

Blood sugar and dementia are closely linked. Poor blood sugar management increases the risk of developing dementia. A recent study also highlighted the link between blood sugar and dementia. The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) and the National Institute of Health analyzed a cohort of approximately 2,600 dementia-free individuals. Participants included both healthy individuals and individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The analysis found that greater blood sugar and blood pressure variability was associated with a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. The study found that increased blood sugar variability was associated with damage to blood vessels in the cerebral white matter and increased beta-amyloid accumulation. Beta-amyloid is a toxic protein that, when accumulated excessively in the brain, destroys neurons and impairs cognitive function, increasing the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Greater systolic and diastolic blood pressure variability was also associated with increased tau protein accumulation and atrophy in the hippocampus, a region of the brain responsible for long-term memory.

Stabilizing blood sugar is key…providing adequate nutrition to the brain.

 

In particular, the success or failure of dementia prevention hinges on reducing blood sugar variability. Chronic blood sugar fluctuations not only negatively impact memory and cognitive function, but both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia increase the risk of dementia. High blood sugar levels damage blood vessels supplying the brain, impeding the proper delivery of oxygen and nutrients. When excessive insulin is secreted to lower blood sugar, insulin-degrading enzymes focus solely on breaking down insulin, preventing the proper breakdown of beta-amyloid protein, a causative agent of Alzheimer's disease. Repeated hypoglycemia hinders the delivery of glucose, the brain's energy source, to the brain, leading to cell damage. Thus, the first step in dementia prevention begins with maintaining stable blood sugar levels to preserve brain function.

 

Postprandial blood glucose is an indicator of blood glucose variability management.

To reduce blood sugar volatility, you need to lower postprandial blood sugar levels and maintain stable levels. Dietary control is paramount. This can be achieved by reducing carbohydrate intake, which rapidly raises blood sugar levels, and adding fiber and protein foods, which raise blood sugar levels more slowly, to each meal. However, carbohydrates should not be eliminated; instead, complex carbohydrate foods that have a lesser impact on blood sugar volatility are recommended. Whole grains are a prime example. Whole grains undergo minimal processing, making them more nutritious than refined grains like white rice and wheat flour. Complex carbohydrates, consisting of three or more sugar molecules linked together, break down more slowly than simple sugars when consumed, resulting in a less dramatic increase in blood sugar levels. Among whole grains, it's best to choose "low-sugar grains," which additionally help stabilize postprandial blood sugar levels.

 

Recently, the ancient Italian grain "Faro" has been attracting attention as a low-sugar grain effective in managing blood sugar levels. Faro is a natural, non-GMO grain rich in dietary fiber, protein, and vitamins, while maintaining a lower sugar content than other grains. It is also rich in resistant starch, which digests slowly in the body and helps prevent rapid blood sugar spikes, reducing blood sugar volatility. Resistant starch also stimulates the secretion of GLP1, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels. GLP1 is known to be effective in preventing diabetes and weight loss, and is currently being used as a key ingredient in anti-obesity treatments.

 

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These days, ancient grains like kamut and paro are rapidly gaining popularity.

I'm only eating kamut, but this is a bit too much

I think it takes a long time to chew

 

Maybe that's why I eat my food a little more slowly.

 

Mortgage grains, whole grains are constantly coming out these days.