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Taking almonds and whey protein 30 minutes before meal reduces blood sugar spike, says study

Diabetologist Dr Anoop Misra says review by him and other experts shows how to control post-meal blood sugar with smart eating plans

Olive oil or almond consumption 30 minutes before meals delays gastric emptying and flattens the glucose peak. (File Photo)

While it’s normal for blood sugar to rise after eating, consistently high levels after meals can lead to various health problems, even in individuals without diabetes. Prolonged high levels of blood sugar can damage blood vessels, wearing them out, posing a significant risk to heart health. It can even worsen existing diabetes and make it harder to control and end up damaging the kidneys, eyes and nerves.

That’s why Dr Anoop Misra, chairman, Fortis C-DOC Hospital for Diabetes and Allied Sciences, has got down to planning a pre-meal pattern of consuming macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fats) that may indeed tame post-meal blood sugar spikes. “This is especially important for Indians, since their postprandial glucose levels are high and need additional therapies, especially dietary measures,” says Dr Misra, who has laid out his findings in a scientific review of global research. A larger pre-meal load of carbohydrates leads to a faster and more pronounced rise in blood sugar after eating. Conversely, consuming protein, fat, and fibre before the main meal can slow down digestion and accelerate absorption, leading to a more gradual blood sugar release.

How to plan your protein load before meals?

Whey protein (25 – 55 g), taken 30 minutes before a high-carb meal significantly reduces post-meal glucose levels. It stimulates insulin secretion, slows gastric emptying, increases GLP-1 and GIP hormones, both of which regulate post-meal blood sugar by stimulating the release of the sugar-regulating hormone insulin.

What about good fats?

Olive oil or almond consumption 30 minutes before meals delays gastric emptying and flattens the glucose peak. In people with Type 2 diabetes, olive oil delayed peak glucose elevations from 75 to 140 minutes, significantly lowering glucose spikes.

We found that 20 g almonds (rich in protein and monounsaturated fatty acid) before meals brought down post-meal two-hour glucose by 25.8 mg/dL, HbA1c (average blood sugar counts of three months) by 0.4%, and improved insulin sensitivity. About 30 per cent of participants returned to normal blood sugar range after three months. They also reported a reduction in weight, cholesterol and improved insulin sensitivity. There was no risk of hypoglycemia (below normal levels of blood sugar) even in prediabetes.

We unanimously concluded that eating almonds daily provides significant benefits for heart health, weight management, blood sugar control and the gut microbiome. The findings from studies in India were particularly notable, indicating that almonds may have especially beneficial effects for people in India with prediabetes, who are more likely to develop diabetes than other racial groups. Almonds are natural, delicious and nutrient-dense, providing protein, healthy fats, fibre and important vitamins and minerals. Plus, they are shelf-stable, portable; and fit into healthy and diverse diets.

We made our subjects have fibre and vegetables first. Eating vegetables (rich in fibre) 10 – 30 minutes before carbs improves glycemic control. Studies showed 11 – 49 per cent drop in postprandial glucose. A 500 g vegetable pre-load lowered HbA1c by 1.1 per cent over 2.5 years.

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How would one space food in the context of an Indian meal?

I suggest big portions of vegetables, preferably okra, jackfruit, methi (fenugreek), karela (bitter gourd), all known to decrease blood sugar. You can have them after proteins which can decrease blood sugar further. I suggest two large portions of salad with two teaspoons of flaxseed (raw) as preload for those who are not taking protein or almonds. This is a very practical preload. Your salad should have plenty of tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, salad leaves and small portions of radish.

How should we have carbohydrates as they come last in the sequence?

If you have carbohydrates at the end, your stomach is already full. So you will automatically limit the portion of rice yourself. Another way to eat rice is to have it with more protein, be it rajma or dal.