Diet and Diabetes
Diabetes and diet are always a topic of discussion, since most of us are acquainted with guidelines to avoid sugar. We experience the fear of the foods that may have to be given up. Understanding the NEW Guidelines is that not one food is restricted.
Our bodies do not care about the source of carbohydrate, rather than the total amount (in grams). Carbohydrates are a category of food that includes sugars and starches. Understanding the various forms is important in seeing why one’s body tolerates some forms better than others do.
Glucose is also known as a single sugar. This is the form that all of our food will be broken into at some point. Fructose is also a single sugar and is better known as fruit sugar. Sucrose is a double sugar. Glucose and fructose molecules hooked together make sucrose. This is also known as table sugar. Lactose which is also a double sugar, is made up of two simple sugars, glucose and galactose. This is also known as milk sugar. Finally there is starch which is hundreds of glucose molecules linked together. Common sources of starch are wheat (pasta, bagels, bread), corn and potatoes.
Upon food being broken down into glucose (the body’s main fuel), glucose enters the bloodstream and the level of glucose in your blood begins to rise. When an increase in glucose is sensed, the body sends a signal to your pancreas. The pancreas then makes insulin and sends it into the bloodstream. Insulin is like a key that allows blood glucose to cross from the bloodstream into the body’s cells. When the glucose is inside the cell, your body converts the glucose into energy. Therefore, insulin effectively lowers the level of blood glucose by letting glucose leave the bloodstream and go into the cells.
In people with diabetes, this system doesn’t work. This is why diet is very important in understanding how to better control the blood sugar. Having any source of carbohydrate that contains fiber will sustain blood sugar longer (fruit with skin, whole grains) compared to white flour refined starches. Also understanding the effects of the different fats in our diet can helpful, because our blood sugar can be better sustained with the right types of fats. Finally seeing how lean protein options can also benefit the control of blood sugar is important to understand.
People who have poor control of blood sugar can eventually cause damage to small blood vessels and complications in the heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves. This also increases the risk for heart disease two to four times and more than doubles the risk of a stroke.
In Summary an individual may want to learn how to optimize control of their blood sugar to prevent long term complications from diabetes mellitus in the future.
