Having worked with individuals who have diabetes for more than a decade, two main challenges present themselves time and again when it comes to meal plan compliance: hunger and boredom. Many individuals with diabetes restrict their portions at meals in an effort to reduce postprandial glucose levels and reduce body weight. Others eat the same few food options over and over again due to fear that adding variety to their meal plan may have a negative impact on blood glucose levels.
In both of these situations, these well-intended plans end up backfiring. These individuals begin to experience excessive hunger and cravings in between meals. I have found this ultimately leads to the largest portions of food (and typically the largest amount of carbohydrate) being consumed at the dinner meal, which may lead to elevated blood glucose levels all throughout the night.
As healthcare professionals, helping our clients with diabetes make food choices that not only benefit health but improve satiety is key to long-term meal plan adherence. A simple dietary adjustment, such as adding a half of an avocado to a meal, may be all that is needed to help offset post-meal hunger and lead to improved health outcomes.
In fact, one study1 funded by the Hass Avocado Board found that when one half an avocado was added to a standardized meal, individuals experienced a 40 percent decrease in their desire to eat over the three-hour period following the meal than those who ate the same lunch without the avocado. What’s more, despite the extra calories and carbohydrates provided by the added avocado, there was no increase in blood sugar levels beyond what was observed after eating the lunch with no avocado, and the rise in insulin 30 minutes following the start of the meal was weakened when avocado replaced cookies and Italian dressing in the meal. While the 26 overweight adults in this study did not have diabetes, the findings provide fodder for future research in diabetic populations.
Adding foods with good fats, such as avocados, to a diabetes meal plan may not just benefit appetite, but can also increase variety. With the least amount of sugar per serving compared to any other fresh fruit, this incredibly versatile food can incorporated into everything from scrambled eggs, to smoothies, salads, and even made into a dip. Substituting avocado in place of popular foods or as an alternative to an ingredient not only adds variety to the texture and flavor of the foods, but may help reduce the intake of calories, saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol.
When it comes to successfully managing diabetes, simple lifestyle changes that can be consistently carried out, such as the addition of avocado in the diet, often have the biggest impact on long-term health outcomes.
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1Wien M, Haddad E, Oda K, Sabaté J. A randomized 3×3 crossover study to evaluate the effect of Hass avocado intake on post-ingestive satiety, glucose and insulin levels, and subsequent energy intake in overweight adults. Nutr J. 2013; add publication volume here.
