Diet For Diabetics
Diabetes is a disease that is marked by higher than normal levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood stream. Glucose levels can rise when the body is resistant to insulin, the hormone that helps cells metabolize glucose into energy, or when the pancreas fails to make enough insulin to support the body’s needs. No matter the cause, you needs to control the level of sugar in your bloodstream, or else you can suffer from serious health concerns, among them the potential of entering into a coma. Beliefs on what constitutes the proper diet for diabetics vary widely.
The common conceit for people with diabetes was that they couldn’t eat sugar and carbs at all, or risk serious health problems. Diabetics had to be very careful with sugar, due to its easy conversion to glucose, giving it an ability to enter the bloodstream at an alarming rate. Many artificial sweeteners have been created as sugar substitutes for diabetics’ dietary needs.
Today, doctors accept the fact that diabetics are going to be exposed to sugar and other carbohydrates no matter how carefully they try to avoid them. There are artificial sweeteners that are calorie and carbohydrate free, but that food that contains the sweetener can still be unsafe for a diabetic in other ways.
Ultimately, the diet for diabetics that should be followed is identical to a healthy diet for anyone. This way, those with diabetes don’t need to limit themselves so severely. The main things that diabetics need to focus on is monitoring the amount of carbs that they eat every day. Carbohydrates include both sugars and starches, so foods like pasta and potatoes need to be limited just as badly as sweet foods with sugars in them.
The ideal diet for a diabetic would include more fresh fruits and vegetables. Vegetables and fruits do contain natural sugars, though these differ from glucose. Because of this, they don’t affect the sugar levels in the bloodstream. Fruits and vegetables also contain more fiber, which have the effect of improving bowel movements and making one feel more full, thus curbing one’s appetite.
The myth that diabetic meals should be prepared separately from the rest of the family has been disproven. Basically, a diet for diabetics doesn’t have to be different than anyone else’s in their family, as long as they are careful. This includes many vegetables and fruits, and a balanced intake of starches and proteins, as well as the occasional fat.
Arno writes about health, diet and the best diets for diabetic patients .
