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CNN Live At Daybreak

One Carb You'll Want to Keep on OK List

Aired November 19, 2003 - 06:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In health news this morning, are you watching carbs to keep your weight and perhaps your diabetes in check? Well, there may be one carb you'll want to keep on your OK list.
Our favorite nutritionist, Lisa Drayer, of Dietwatch.com, joins us live from New York with the lowdown.

Tell us the secret, Lisa.

LISA DRAYER, NUTRITIONIST: The secret, Carol, is buckwheat. Actually, many people, as we know, are avoiding lots of carbohydrate rich foods because the theory is that they increase blood sugar and this leads to weight gain. But buckwheat may be an exception. In fact, it may lower blood sugar. And aside from helping with our maintaining a healthy body weight, it actually may help diabetics.

Researchers actually found this to be the case, that is, researchers in Canada. They fed extracts of the buckwheat to diabetic rats and they found that their blood sugar levels dropped by about 19 percent. Now, this is a good thing because high blood sugar levels can lead to complications among diabetics.

Now, the researchers think there's a special compound in the buckwheat that's responsible for its effects on blood sugar. But we're not sure exactly how much buckwheat we would have to eat in order to get the beneficial effects.

But it is found in Japanese soba noodles, you know, those glassy noodles? Also, Kasha.

COSTELLO: Kashi cereal?

DRAYER: Kasha.

COSTELLO: Yes.

DRAYER: Kasha, like Kasha knish. Kashi cereal and also buckwheat pancakes. A lot of people think of buckwheat in terms of pancakes.

COSTELLO: Oh, yes, all those common foods we eat every day.

DRAYER: Right.

COSTELLO: I mean who wants to use buckwheat? Not being a domestic goddess.

DRAYER: Who knew? Right.

COSTELLO: But you're talking about this helping Type 2 diabetics, right?

DRAYER: That's right. Exactly. People with Type 2 diabetes, when you gain weight, your cells actually become less sensitive to insulin and it's thought that this extract may actually have a beneficial effect on the insulin. But generally speaking, that's one of the most important things you can do to prevent Type 2 diabetes, that is, maintain a healthy body weight, very important.

Also, exercise. Carol, exercise has independent effects on blood sugar. That is, even if you're diabetic, exercising can help the blood sugar levels to come down. And also filling up on fiber rich foods. Research has shown that eating up to 50 grams of fiber per day can help to lower blood sugar in diabetes, plus consuming a lot of fiber rich foods, specifically from whole grains, can help reduce the risks significantly of diabetes, that is, Type 2 diabetes, among older women.

COSTELLO: OK.

DRAYER: So, fiber, exercise and healthy body weight.

COSTELLO: OK, and we'll put buckwheat on our grocery shopping list.

DRAYER: That's right.

COSTELLO: Thank you.

Lisa Drayer live from New York this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired November 19, 2003 - 06:52   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: In health news this morning, are you watching carbs to keep your weight and perhaps your diabetes in check? Well, there may be one carb you'll want to keep on your OK list.
Our favorite nutritionist, Lisa Drayer, of Dietwatch.com, joins us live from New York with the lowdown.

Tell us the secret, Lisa.

LISA DRAYER, NUTRITIONIST: The secret, Carol, is buckwheat. Actually, many people, as we know, are avoiding lots of carbohydrate rich foods because the theory is that they increase blood sugar and this leads to weight gain. But buckwheat may be an exception. In fact, it may lower blood sugar. And aside from helping with our maintaining a healthy body weight, it actually may help diabetics.

Researchers actually found this to be the case, that is, researchers in Canada. They fed extracts of the buckwheat to diabetic rats and they found that their blood sugar levels dropped by about 19 percent. Now, this is a good thing because high blood sugar levels can lead to complications among diabetics.

Now, the researchers think there's a special compound in the buckwheat that's responsible for its effects on blood sugar. But we're not sure exactly how much buckwheat we would have to eat in order to get the beneficial effects.

But it is found in Japanese soba noodles, you know, those glassy noodles? Also, Kasha.

COSTELLO: Kashi cereal?

DRAYER: Kasha.

COSTELLO: Yes.

DRAYER: Kasha, like Kasha knish. Kashi cereal and also buckwheat pancakes. A lot of people think of buckwheat in terms of pancakes.

COSTELLO: Oh, yes, all those common foods we eat every day.

DRAYER: Right.

COSTELLO: I mean who wants to use buckwheat? Not being a domestic goddess.

DRAYER: Who knew? Right.

COSTELLO: But you're talking about this helping Type 2 diabetics, right?

DRAYER: That's right. Exactly. People with Type 2 diabetes, when you gain weight, your cells actually become less sensitive to insulin and it's thought that this extract may actually have a beneficial effect on the insulin. But generally speaking, that's one of the most important things you can do to prevent Type 2 diabetes, that is, maintain a healthy body weight, very important.

Also, exercise. Carol, exercise has independent effects on blood sugar. That is, even if you're diabetic, exercising can help the blood sugar levels to come down. And also filling up on fiber rich foods. Research has shown that eating up to 50 grams of fiber per day can help to lower blood sugar in diabetes, plus consuming a lot of fiber rich foods, specifically from whole grains, can help reduce the risks significantly of diabetes, that is, Type 2 diabetes, among older women.

COSTELLO: OK.

DRAYER: So, fiber, exercise and healthy body weight.

COSTELLO: OK, and we'll put buckwheat on our grocery shopping list.

DRAYER: That's right.

COSTELLO: Thank you.

Lisa Drayer live from New York this morning.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com