Do you have Diabetes – Consider adding Pulses into your diet!

World Diabetes Day on November 14th marks the birthday of Sir Frederick Banting, who, along with Dr. Charles Best, co-discovered insulin in 1921. Diabetes is a chronic disease in which the body either cannot produce insulin or cannot properly use the insulin it produces. This deficiency leads to high levels of glucose in the blood, which can damage organs, blood vessels and nerves.

Diabetes is a global pandemic, predicted to affect more than 400 million people worldwide by 2030. Today, 3 million Canadians live with diabetes. It is also estimated that 6 million people live with prediabetes, which refers to a condition where a person’s blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Not only is diabetes a personal crisis for people with the disease, it is also a tremendous financial burden for the Canadian healthcare system and society as a whole.

Pulses (beans, peas, lentils and chickpeas) are a good food choice for diabetes because they have a low glycemic index, are high in fibre and complex carbohydrates, are low in fat, saturated fat and sodium and contain no cholesterol or trans fats. Research has shown that pulse consumption can be beneficial in the management of blood sugar levels.  Better blood sugar control has been shown to reduce complications in diabetes. For more great tasting pulse recipes, visit www.manitobapulse.ca or www.pulsecanada.com.

Visit the World Diabetes Day Expo in the concourse at the Walmart St. Vital location from 10 am to 3 pm on Monday November 14th. Exhibitors will be set up to talk to you about living with diabetes. Mantioba Pulse Growers will have pulses cookbooks to hand out. Stop by!