University Study Finds Beef Doesn't Raise Diabetes Risk
SkimNews Take
While previous guidance often broadly restricted certain foods for prediabetics, this study suggests dietary recommendations may increasingly shift towards nuanced, food-specific findings rather than blanket food group restrictions.
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- Indiana University School of Public Health conducted a randomized crossover trial with 24 overweight or obese adults with prediabetes, each consuming 6–7 oz of beef daily for 28 days before switching to poultry after a washout period.
- Participants showed no significant differences in blood glucose regulation, insulin sensitivity, pancreatic β‑cell function, or inflammatory markers after the beef phase compared with the poultry phase.
- Kevin C. Maki, PhD concluded that beef, when incorporated into a healthy dietary pattern, fills essential nutrient gaps without adversely affecting cardiometabolic risk.
- Current Developments in Nutrition published the trial, titled “Effects of Diets Containing Beef Compared with Poultry on Pancreatic β‑Cell Function…”.
Why it matters: Adults with prediabetes can consider beef as a protein source without fearing increased diabetes risk, expanding dietary options and affecting meat consumption trends for health professionals.
