London (OTL) – Fish should be an important part of a diabetes diet. Researchers reported that eating fish twice a week may help diabetes patients. According to these researchers, eating more than one serving of fish a week can lower protein in the urine. This is good news because it may prevent a serious complication of diabetes which is kidney disease. Protein in the urine is one of the earliest signs of kidney disease. The researchers also found that only 4% of diabetics who ate fish twice a week developed diabetics.
There were 22,000 men and women involved in this study and 517 of them had diabetes. The age group at the beginning of the study for both men and women was middle-aged or older. Researchers also found that eating fish twice a week may help diabetics patients because kidney function is benefited. This is due to the nutrient composition of fish that enhances blood glucose control and improves plasma lipid profiles. It was also suggested that kidney protection may be from the fish oils or omega-3 fatty acids. The study found all types of fish have the same protective effect. Dr. Amada Adler from Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge led the study. It was published in the American Journal of Kidney diseases.