Coconut Fiber and Diabetes

A diet that is high in fiber may prevent diabetes, and it is also important in controlling the disease once you have it.

Simple carbohydrates like sugary pastries made with white flour are released into the system quickly. When you eat foods that are high in fiber instead, the process of releasing sugar into your system is slower. Fiber helps you avoid dangerous spikes in your blood sugar.

Daily Fiber Intake

The U.S. National Academy of Science Institute of Medicine has issued recommendations that men who are 50 years of age and younger should eat 38 grams of fiber each day. Women of this age need 25 grams each day. Men over the age of 50 should eat 30 grams of fiber daily, and older women are recommended to eat at least 21 grams each day. Fiber does not have any nutritional value, but it keeps the digestive system working properly. It lowers cholesterol and helps you have regular bowel movements and avoid constipation.

Health Benefits of Coconut Fiber

You can regulate your blood sugar level by adding coconut fiber to your diet. Coconut fiber is in the meat of the coconut, so you can eat flaked coconut to get this fiber. Most coconut that is sold in grocery stores is covered with sugar, so it is important to find a brand that does not have added sugar. Another way to add coconut fiber to your diet, whether you have type 2 diabetes or another version of the disease, is to use coconut flour in recipes.

A healthy diabetic diet should focus on the main food groups that include protein, fat and carbohydrates. Eating baked goods is usually the least important part of a diabetic diet. Most people love to eat sweets, so you may want to experiment with using coconut flour in your favorite dessert recipes. Try using half coconut flour and half unbleached flour, or one-fourth coconut flour and one-fourth whole wheat flour. The remaining one-half of the recipe should be unbleached flour. Be sure not to use all coconut flour, or your baked product will turn out to be hard and crumbly.

Coconut Fiber Supplements

The healthiest way for you to get your coconut fiber may be by taking coconut fiber supplements. In pill form, there is no need to worry about simple carbohydrates being present in the supplement, although you should read the label to be sure that you know exactly what is in the product.

Buying fresh coconut at the supermarket is an excellent way to get your coconut fiber, but it does take work to get to the coconut meat. You need to first drain the coconut milk and then crack the shell to expose the coconut meat. Eating fresh fruit means that there is no need to worry about added sugar because the fruit is naturally sweet to some degree. There is also no need to prepare or cook fresh coconut when you simply cut it up and eat this food raw.