Milk and mushrooms against metabolic diseases

Recent research conducted at Pennsylvania State University in the US studied the effect of mushrooms on glucose production in the body. Mushrooms are a probiotic food, which means they positively influence the bacteria in the gut.

In a study with mice, researchers discovered that the regular consumption of white button mushrooms boosted the growth of certain bacteria which produce substances that influence glucose production.

The researchers believe that white button mushrooms may be especially helpful for people with diabetes, due to the fungi's role in glucose production.

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Like mushrooms, milk also seems to regulate blood glucose levels. That is the result of a recent study by researchers at the University of Guelph and the University of Toronto in Canada.

Their research showed that consuming milk at breakfast lowers blood glucose levels during the day, compared to consuming water.

They also found that specific proteins contained in milk trigger the release of hormones in the gut, which then slow down digestion and increase the feeling of being full.

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"This study confirms the importance of milk at breakfast time to aid in the slower digestion of carbohydrates and to help maintain lower blood sugar levels," explains Dr. H. Douglas Goff, author of the study. "Nutritionists have always stressed the importance of a healthy breakfast, and this study should encourage consumers to include milk."