Buckwheat Lowers Glucose in Rats

A Canadian study involving diabetic rats found that buckwheatmay help diabetic patients better manage their condition.The researchers discovered that extracts of buckwheatseed fed to rats lowered their blood glucose levels by12% to 19%. ?With diabetes on the rise, incorporation ofbuckwheat into the diet could help provide a safe, easy, andinexpensive way to lower glucose levels and reduce the riskof complications associated with the disease, includingheart, nerve, and kidney problems,? said lead investigatorCarla G. Taylor, PhD.

Dr. Taylor stressed, however, that until studies are doneon humans with diabetes, it is not clear how much buckwheatflour or extract an individual should consume to lowerglucose levels. (The findings were published in the Journalof Agricultural and Food Chemistry, December 2003.)