In one study,21 type 2 diabetic patients were split into two groups and given standardized liquid meals, one control group and the other with added fiber. The group that received liquid meals with added fiber reduced both the glucose and the insulin peaks, despite the fact that the two groups consumed exactly the same amount of carbohydrates and calories. Because insulin is the main driver of obesity and diabetes, its reduction is beneficial. In essence, fiber acts as a sort of “antidote” to the carbohydrate—which, in this analogy, is the poison.
