Tartary buckwheat shown to improve lipid profile, reduce insulin resistance

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) can improve insulin resistance and lipid profile in people with Type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in Nutrition Research. The multi-university research investigated the effects of substituting certain foods with tartary buckwheat.

• Tartary buckwheat is nutrient-dense; it contains protein, dietary fiber, and flavonoids.
• Tartary buckwheat is also reported to improve Type 2 diabetes symptoms, based on in vivo tests; however, available research on whether it can be used as a whole food for Type 2 diabetics is limited.
• The researchers enrolled 165 patients with Type 2 diabetes in a parallel, randomized, open-label, controlled trial. The participants were assigned to either a control diet group, which received systematic diet plans and intensive nutritional education, or an intervention group, which had a portion of their staple food replaced with tartary buckwheat.
• Researchers also collected blood samples and diet information at baseline and after four weeks of intervention.
• Participants in the intervention group reported a decrease in their fasting insulin (2.46-2.39 Ln mU/L), total cholesterol (5.08-4.79 mmol/L), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.00-2.80 mmol/L) levels after four weeks. These results were better compared to those in the control diet group.
• Between the intervention and control groups, no significant differences in blood glucose or glycated hemoglobin levels were reported.
• Subgroup analysis also revealed that taking tartary buckwheat resulted in a dose-reduction of insulin, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but only in doses lower than 110 g/d.

In conclusion, taking tartary buckwheat can improve insulin resistance and lipid profile in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Journal Reference:

Qiu J, Liu Y, Yue Y, Qin Y, Li Z. DIETARY TARTARY BUCKWHEAT INTAKE ATTENUATES INSULIN RESISTANCE AND IMPROVES LIPID PROFILES IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. Nutrition Research. December 2016;36(12):1392–1401.  DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2016.11.007