- Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic condition that people can keep in check through a combination of targeted medication and lifestyle changes.
- Recent studies now suggest that some overlooked foods and natural remedies could help improve different health problems related to diabetes.
- One study found that an oatmeal diet can effectively lower ‘bad’ cholesterol, while another suggests that eating an avocado per day may aid blood sugar control.
- Yet another study has suggested that peppermint oil could help control blood pressure, which is often associated with type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition affecting metabolic health, which occurs when the body no longer produces enough or responds to insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar.
The treatment for type 2 diabetes typically involves a combined approach of targeted medication and lifestyle changes, particularly by adhering to diets that help maintain a healthy weight, and keep blood sugar and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels in check.
Research recently covered on Medical News Today now suggests that a handful of common foods and natural remedies may help keep various aspects of diabetes, or health problems associated with this chronic condition, in check.
Here is what the latest research has found.
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Bonn, in Germany, whose findings appeared in
For this study, the researchers conducted two parallel, randomized, controlled clinical trials involving participants with metabolic syndrome, a complex condition many of whose characteristics overlap with those of diabetes, namely: elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, high blood sugar, and overweight.
The authors found that participants who had consumed an oatmeal diet consisting of 300 grams (g of oatmeal per day for 2 consecutive days saw a 10% reduction in LDL cholesterol levels at the end of this period.
Participants following this 2-day oatmeal diet could supplement their meals with fresh vegetables or fruit, and the overall diet resulted in them slashing their typical calorie intake by half.
Even though participants later returned to their usual diets, their cholesterol levels remained lower at 6 weeks following the intervention.
According to senior investigator Marie-Christine Simon, PhD, RD, these effects were likely due to the fact that the high “dose and rapid exposure to oat components — especially phenolic compounds that are metabolized by the gut microbiota — can trigger stronger biochemical responses than a modest daily intake.”
“This large oat load significantly increased microbially produced phenolic metabolites, especially dihydroferulic acid, which were associated with the cholesterol reduction,” Simon suggested.
However, Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, a preventive cardiology dietitian at EntirelyNourished, who was not involved in this research, issued a caveat, emphasizing that:
“In small, tightly managed settings, it is easier to observe pronounced short-term changes than the more gradual LDL improvements typically seen when oats are incorporated into everyday, free-living diets, where many other factors are also at play.”
“Regularly including moderate amounts of oats within a heart-healthy eating pattern, alongside other sources of soluble fiber, plant protein, and overall nutrient adequacy, continues to be a practical and evidence-based way to support LDL lowering and cardiometabolic health, without the need for extreme or short-term dietary approaches,” Routhenstein advised.
This research — which received funding from the Hass Avocado Board — was a secondary analysis of data from the Habitual Diet and Avocado Trial, which involved participants with an elevated waist circumference who were at least 25 years old.
The dietary intervention involved eating a large avocado every day for 6 months. Participants in the control group ate two or fewer avocados per month for the same duration.
At the end of the intervention period, the researchers found that participants who had eaten 1 large avocado per day had a lower dietary glycemic load — a measure of diet-induced blood sugar elevation — than their peers.
According to Karen Z. Berg, MS, CDN, a registered dietitian who was not involved in this study:
“Avocados are a nutrient-dense food and have many health benefits. They are high in calories, monounsaturated fats, and fiber. Avocados are very filling, so when people eat more avocados, they are likely eating less of other foods that are possibly less healthy. This could be why this study had such positive outcomes.”
Besides high blood sugar levels and heightened cholesterol, high blood pressure (hypertension) is another health issue that is often associated with type 2 diabetes, affecting 50-80% of people living with this chronic condition.
Depending on how serious this health issue is, people can treat it with both medication and natural interventions, on a case-by-case basis, following medical advice.
One lesser-known natural remedy for hypertension highlighted in the current research is peppermint oil, a type of essential oil.
This research involved 40 adults who had either
One group of participants, randomly selected, received 100 microliters (μL) of peppermint oil per day, and the other, the control group, received a peppermint-flavored placebo for 20 days.
At the end of this period, those taking peppermint oil had not only lower systolic blood pressure, but also lower resting heart rate.
Lead study author Jonathan Sinclair, DSc, PhD, explained that he and his colleagues “were interested in peppermint oil because peppermint contains biologically active compounds, particularly menthol and flavonoids, that have plausible relevance to blood pressure regulation.”
“Menthol can activate TRPM8 channels, which are found in vascular and sensory tissues, and this activation may contribute to vasodilation through calcium-dependent
endothelial signalling , nitric oxide-related pathways, and relaxation of vascular smooth muscle. In simple terms, peppermint oil may help blood vessels relax, which could reduce the pressure against which the heart has to pump.”
Other experts, however, have urged some caution and called for further research to replicate these findings are provide clearer information on the mechanisms of action.
For example, Craig Basman, MD, FACC, FSCAI, associate director of the Structural and Congenital Heart Program at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, who was not involved in this study, noted that “a study with more participants would provide more robust data and help to confirm these initial findings.”
“It would also be beneficial to see longer-term studies to understand if the effects of peppermint oil on blood pressure are sustained over time and to identify any potential long-term side effects,” Basman emphasized.
