National Diabetes Week

As some of you may already be aware,last week was National Diabetes Week! These weeks in our diary force us to think about the effect this disease has on us and the healthcare system.

Diabetes is often referred to as the invisible condition because one in two people with diabetes don’t even know they have it-it’s a pretty troubling thought!

So how can we make a difference as a food company?

We can provide food options that help, and one of the easiest ways is an oldie, but a real goodie – fibre! Kellogg’s loves fibre. We think it’s a wonder nutrient, often forgotten and ignored.

As health professionals, we know that fibre helps to trap sugars in the small bowel which then reduces post prandial glycaemi a and improves insulin response, hence its role in risk reduction.

All well and good, but getting the recommended 30g per day is not so simple for free-living individuals. So we can make it easier? High fibre breakfast cereals are one of the top contributors of fibre to the diet and make it easier for people to reach their recommendations. Cereals such as Al l Bran® and Sultana Bran®, with delicious yoghurt and fruit, ensure you are nearly halfway there.

We recommend mixing it up and including fibre from multiple sources including soluble, insoluble and fermentable fibre. We ha ve developed an easy recommendation for patients to help them to achieve balance every day.

• 2 serves of whole fruit with skin

• 5 serves of vegetables

• 4-6 serves of grains, preferably high fibre or whole grain

• 1 serve of nuts or legumes.

Oh and don’t forget to get that box of high fibre cereal every week!

Until next time,

Gina