A prime tool in implementing the sugar diabetes diet is the Diabetes Food Pyramid which breaks down food into groups and pyramid levels that diabetics should follow.
The food guide can be instrumental in helping you to develop a healthy eating plan and choose foods that won’t affect your blood sugar levels in a negative way.
It also helps you by recommending suggested number of servings from each food group. Diabetes is primarily a disease in which the body has trouble regulating blood sugar.
By implementing a sugar diabetes diet, you begin the first step towards managing your disease.
For example, whole grains are much better than refined grains in their ability to keep your blood sugar levels in balance and on an even keel.
In addition, a high fiber diet helps to slow down the digestion of carbohydrates in your stomach, which helps to even out their flow into your blood stream. So it’s a simple matter to replace the processed grains in your diet with whole grains.
Also, by following the Diabetes Food Pyramid, you can make many more substitutions.
But don’t get hung up on having to follow the suggestions of a sugar diabetes plan to the letter. If you stray from it every once in a while, it’s fine. The important thing is that you find a way to to incorporate it into the majority of your meals.
A key component of diabetes control is weight control. The primary way of achieving this is through reducing calories and the Diabetes Food Pyramid helps you to do this also by ensuring that most of your foods come from the lower potion of the food pyramid.
The Role That Glycemic Index Plays in A Sugar Diabetes Diet
In addition to following the Diabetes Food Pyramid, you should being to pay attention to the glycemic index (or GI) of foods. Foods with a low GI value will have a lesser effect on your blood glucose levels than those with a high GI. Gradually begin to swap out foods with low GI values and replace them with foods that hove low GI foods such as whole grain breads, cereals, pastas, fruits, vegetables, and so on.
What About Desserts?
The perfect desserts for anyone on sugar diabetes diets are sugar free candies, chocolates, cakes, cookies, and so on. Many large shopping stores have diabetic sections where you can find some or all of these diabetic treats. Although, to be honest, most are ordinary tasting – manufacturers are getting better at finding appropriate sugar substitutes to include in their desserts.
If you feel that you are unable to come up with an appropriate food plan on your own, seek the help of a dietitian who specializes in creating a diabetic diet. The proper sugar diabetes diet can help you to manage your blood sugar effective enough that your doctor may be able to cut down your medication or eliminate it altogether. You might also try adding cinnamon to your daily diet. Studies have shown some forms of it to lower glucose levels in the blood stream.
The ambitious goal of the American Diabetes Foundation is to both prevent diabetes as well as find a cure for it.
The organization has two levels of memberships – consumer and professional.
The consumer level membership is offered to individuals who either have diabetes themselves or have family members or friend who have diabetes. This membership will provide them with periodic (monthly) newsletters containing information about diabetes – new discoveries, new treatments, progress reports on current treatments, and so on.
The professional level of membership is targeted towards the health care professional who wants to keep current with what’s going on in the diabetes field.
In addition, the professional level membership allows members to register for and attend scientific sessions, receive discounts on related medical journals and books, and – from a career standpoint – gives them a listing in the online membership directory.
The National Institute of Health (NIH) is one of the major supporters of diabetes research. They fund many of the clinical trials from which we all receive valuable understanding of diabetes.
But, the American Diabetes Foundation is the next largest organization in the amount of money that it pours into diabetes research.
In addition to its research funding, however, the American Diabetes Foundation is instrumental in teaching people with diabetes how to live with the disease.
A second major focus of what the foundation does is to raise the awareness of diabetes to lawmakers in Washington, D.C. as well as state governments.
The higher profile helps efforts to obtain funding to help find better treatments and, eventually, a cure. Part of this effort is also designed to help focus attention on the health care aspect of diabetes, to ensure that affordable health care is accessible to as many people as possible.
With the increasing number of Americans falling prey to the disease, more and more people are becoming aware of its seriousness.
Based on the premise that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, the American Diabetes Foundation also seeks to promote citizen activism among its members. On their website you’ll find links asking for volunteers to help combat diabetes. As part of the effort you may be asked to call representatives in your state capital as well as the U.S. Congress, participate in walkathons to raise awareness and money, and contribute funds yourself if you are able to.
In an effort to promote a sense of community among its members, the American Diabetes Foundation’s website asks it’s members to share their experiences with diabetes and the effects it has had on their lives to other members. Those who wish can You may do so through text or video. Their website also has interactive tools to help spread the word beyond the community and share it with those on social networking site.
The organization, as does the American Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, has a positive role in helping to promote diabetes awareness in our society. Those who are interested can reach the American Diabetes Foundation at www.diabetes.org.
Having diabetes can obviously have negative effects on the rest of your health. But by adopting a type two diabetes diet plan, you can shift the health odds in your favor.
There are many causal factors for type two diabetes with the top two being heredity and food choices.
Heredity is something that we can’t yet do anything about, but diet is something that most of us can control.
If based on heredity, you are at risk for diabetes, a combination of a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle can push you over the edge.
A type two diabetes diet has to achieve two main objectives:
1) Help to control your weight and
2) help to control your blood sugar levels.
The American Diabetes Association has developed a type two diabetes diet to help diabetics manage their disease.
The Diabetes Food Pyramid Diet
The foundation for this diet is the Diabetes Food Pyramid which is divided into 6 groups over 4 levels. This food pyramid differs from the USDA food pyramid in that it groups foods based on their carbohydrate and protein content, not on their food classification.
At level 4, the bottom level, we have the breads, grains, and other starches. This is the largest group which means that you should have more servings of food from this group than from the others. Carbohydrates make up the bulk of these foods. Starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn belong to this group as well.
At level 3, we have the fruits group and the vegetables group. The pyramid calls for you to eat 3-5 servings of vegetables, and 2-4 servings of fruit.
At level 2, we have the milk group (2-3 servings a day) and the proteins group (4-6 ounces a day).
And at level 1, the top level, we have the fats, alcohol, and sweets group i.e., all the things that you really like. Since, according to the pyramid, this is the smallest group, you should have less of the foods from this group than any other group.
Using The Pyramid for Menu Planning
Diabetics have difficulty processing sugar or glucose. Diet affects blood sugar. A diet based on the food pyramid is one that increases the blood sugar level the minimum amount possible. But, it’s important to realize that a type two diabetes diet using the pyramid is not set in stone, It’s simply a tool that you use to plan balanced meals for yourself.
The key as to whether diet alone can control diabetes depends largely on how soon you are diagnosed and begin to change your eating habits – the sooner the better. If caught early enough, it’s entirely possible that diet can be used to manage your diabetes. If not, your only choice may be diet in conjunction with medicines.
Meal planning is a viable diabetes treatment strategy. Many nutritionists will specialize in designing a diet for type two diabetes with the goals of decreasing their blood sugar through natural means. Most doctors are not well versed in nutrition, but some will be able to refer you to a diabetic nutritionist who can create a diabetic diet for you. If not, it’s worthwhile to begin the search to find one on your own.
The Juvenile Diabetes Association is the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 (juvenile) diabetes research worldwide. It’s number one mission is to support research to find a cure for diabetes.
Juvenile diabetes is a condition that develops when the body’s immune system begins attacking and destroying certain cells in the pancreas. The basic problem with this form of diabetes is that the glucose in the person’s body begins to build up in the blood rather than making its way to the different cells in the body that need it. In turn this can end up causing serious damage to all of the organ systems in the body.
Meet These Fantastic Ordinary People Who Have Type 1 Diabetes
The Juvenile Diabetes Association was founded in 1970 by parents of children with type 1 diabetes. It is now recognized as one of the most successful foundations in pushing its agenda to the forefront of peoples awareness.
Their organization has been instrumental in helping to alert the public about the link between obesity in children and type 2 diabetes. They’ve also been at the forefront of funding efforts to test the use of glucose monitoring in adults as a means of helping them to get their diabetes under control. Largely because of this, many adults actually have brought their type 2 diabetes under control.
The Juvenile Diabetes Association is not only instrumental is setting the public discussion of diabetes in the U.S. The are a powerful force worldwide. Typically over 80% of it’s expenditures go directly towards supporting research for diabetes related efforts across the world. They are active in over 20 countries and directly fund over 1,000 diabetes research centers.
One of the ways that they bring diabetes issues to the attention of lawmakers is their “Children’s Congress” program. This is a program, help only in odd number years, where they bring more than 150 children with type 1 diabetes, along with their families to Washington, D.C. where they meet directly with members of Congress and other national agenda setting leaders. The children represent all 50 states. This program is very effective not only in getting the attention of members of congress but also in getting the attention of the press and helping to keep the issues of diabetes in the national consciousness.
Treatment is obviously one of the most important aspects in any discussion of juvenile diabetes. The treatment that your doctor will deem as most appropriate for you will depend on a few different factors. This includes your age, overall health, expectations for the course of the disease and your own personal opinion or preference. Behind and in front of the scenes, the Juvenile Diabetes Association is one of the primary groups helping to develop these treatments that your doctor may one day be prescribing for you.
The Juvenile Diabetes Association is constantly working to improve the lives of millions of diabetic sufferers. You can help their efforts by making a contribution today.
The causes of diabetes type 2 can be primarily traced to two factors, one of which we have control over and one that we do not.
The two main types of diabetes are type 1 diabetes (also known as juvenile onset diabetes) and type 2 diabetes.
Both types are potentially dangerous as they can damage the kidney as well as other critical organs of the body.
Of everyone with diabetes, over 90% of them will have type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is the type of condition where the body has an inability to accept or process insulin well enough.
Some body tissues may not respond well to insulin or the insulin receptor cells may be abnormal. Due to the inability of the receptors to sense insulin, it is not accepted by our body’s tissues and there is an increased level of insulin in our blood stream.
Hereditary Causes of Type 2 Diabetes
It’s not hard to draw a connection between hereditary as one cause of type 2 diabetes. If you have a close member with type 2 diabetes, your chances of eventually contracting type 2 diabetes is increased by approximately 15%.
Scientists have already identified genes that they believe may be responsible for the genetic component of type 2 diabetes. Their theories are being tested in laboratories today. One hereditary theory believes that type 2 diabetes is triggered from the actions of genes that were once critical to survival. They believe that these genes serve no purpose now, but are still having influence over the way the body handles stored carbohydrates and stored fats.
Obesity Causes of Type 2 Diabetes
Obesity has already been proven as one of the lading risk factors for developing diabetes. As you gain weight, your body becomes more prone to insulin resistance which can gradually develop into diabetes. Research shows that this is especially true if the obesity or weight gain is centered around the abdomen as opposed to other parts of the body such as the hips or breasts.
Fats around the abdominal area are often credited as one of the causes of type 2 diabetes. These produce adipokines that can impair the body’s tolerance of insulin. Other factors to type 2 diabetes are age and a family history of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes usually has a strong inheritance pattern compared to type 1 diabetes.
Researches studying the link between obesity and type 2 diabetes believe that, even if strong hereditary factors are present, a careful approach to diet focused on controlling weight gain can either delay the onset of type 2 diabetes or prevent it entirely.
Treating Type 2 Diabetes
In most cases, type 2 diabetes is treated by focusing on the weight aspect. The patient is advised to lose weight by changing his diet. He is also advised to exercise. In some cases, medication will be required. The intent here is to gain immediate control over some of the symptoms of diabetes and to help prevent the disease from wrecking havoc on the body’s system.
Ultimately, only you, in consultation with your doctor can determine if you should drink alcohol or not. Nevertheless, there are some interesting conclusions that researchers have come up with regarding type 2 diabetes and alcohol.
Can drinking alcohol cause diabetes? Unlikely, unless you spend most of your day drinking. Neither will drinking alcohol lead to pre diabetes or borderline diabetes. Even so, alcohol consumption is something that you should keep track of if you have diabetes.
Alcohol is so prevalent in our society that it’s no wonder that many diabetics wonder if it’s ok for them to drink alcohol. Alcohol can temporarily stop your liver from producing glucose. In addition, it can also block hormones that increase your glucose levels. The result is that your blood glucose level can be lowered to the point where you are experiencing hypoglycemia. If you eat before or while drinking, however, the food can act as a counterbalance by raising your blood glucose levels. While good advice anytime, it’s all the more reason why diabetics especially should not drink without eating.
Type 2 Diabetes, Alcohol, and Resveratrol
In today’s world, however, research is always going on. And the most recent and tantalizing research involving diabetes and alcohol is a 2007 research study in China that seems to conclude that red wine may possibly counter the insulin resistance effects of type 2 diabetes. The magic ingredient in red wine that has everyone excited is the antioxidant resveratrol. In a controlled study using mice, it was found that resveratrol extract curbed insulin resistance in mice. Don’t get too excited, though, as you would probably need to drink 3 or more liters of red wine to match the equivalent amount of resveratrol that was given to the mice. Nevertheless, the ongoing studies seem to be pointing towards exciting developments in the world of diabetes.
Before you begin to drink alcohol, however, there are a few other things that diabetics should keep in mind. Most important, make sure that you are not experiencing other medical complications from diabetes. If you are pregnant, whether you have diabetes or not, you should not be drinking alcohol. If you have weight issues, you should also watch and restrict your alcohol intake, especially since many alcohols are empty calories and have zero nutritional benefits. Also, while true that drinking alcohol can lead to hypoglycemia, keep in mind that many drinks, especially “fruity” drinks, have a high sugar content. For a diabetic, this high concentration of sugar could play havoc with your sugar levels and end up impacting you as much as the alcohol itself.
Always eat a small meal or have a snack before consuming alcohol. This will give your liver time to produce some glucose before it has to deal with the alcohol. If you take oral medication to control your glucose you should not drink for at least two hours after you take it.
Don’t drink to excess. The daily guidelines for diabetes and alcohol are the same guidelines which are recommended for otherwise healthy individuals. For a man who has a lean body mass no more than two drinks a day is recommended. Women tend to metabolize alcohol more slowly than men so they should only drink one drink and then wait several hours before having a second one.
Type 1 diabetes and pregnancy have a very complicated relationship with each other.
Approximately 3% of women who become pregnant will develop diabetes in the latter part of their pregnancy.
And less than one percent of women who become pregnant, already have diabetes. Many of these have type 1 diabetes.
In either case, the disease can cause problems for both the baby and the mom.
The Main Type I Diabetes Pregnancy Problem is Overcoming Insulin Suppression
When a woman becomes pregnant, her body produces certain pregnancy hormones to aid in carrying the baby to term. Some of these hormones have the side effect of blocking insulin.
In a non-diabetic woman, this is usually not a problem because the body will compensate by producing enough insulin to counteract the effect of the hormones. In a woman with type I diabetes, however, the body does not produce insulin.
Therefore she will need to consult with her doctor about how much extra insulin she will have to take in order to manually counteract the pregnancy hormone effects.
Some women with type I diabetes experience a degree of retinopathy. This is a situation in which the eye’s retina is progressively damaged. Some symptoms of retinopathy is blurred vision and having what’s known as “floaters” in you line of sight.
There are various degrees of retinopathy – the worse of which can lead to blindness. It the case of a pregnant woman with retinopathy, the retinopathy has a tendency to get worse during the course of the pregnancy. Why this happens is not known. But one thing that can help to prevent it is to conscientiously monitor your blood glucose to ensure that it remains in a normal range. A pregnant person with type I diabetes should be constantly in touch with her doctor to ensure that no damage is being done to her eyes over the course of the pregnancy.
Having Diabetes During Pregnancy Has An Effect On The Baby
Macrosomia is a condition where a fetus becomes unusually large or oversized. It’s mainly caused by diabetes (both type I and type II as well as gestational diabetes during pregnancy) in the mom. Because of the abnormally large size of the fetus, it becomes more likely that the mom will have to have the baby delivered via a C-section instead of through the vaginal.
But, macrosomia, has a delayed effect on the baby as well. Baby’s born with this effect have a greater change of developing problems in later live. Problems such as obesity, respiratory problems, and a greater chance of them developing type II diabetes.
The bottom line is that a pregnant women with diabetes has to be vigilant in monitoring her glucose levels not only for herself, but for her unborn child as well. For some as yet undetermined reason, there is an undeniable link between pregnancy and diabetes. To mitigate the possible problems as much as possible, she must keep her blood sugar under control during the pregnancy.
Finding out that you have diabetes can be distressing news for anyone. This is especially true if, for some reason, you don’t have good health insurance. Fortunately, if you are willing to search, free diabetes supplies are available to those who are having monetary problems.
The best place to start your search for free diabetes supplies is with your doctor.
Most medical offices and doctors will be aware of many of the assistance programs available in their community, for the state government, and from the federal government.
You doctor may even be able to tell you precisely what person or, more likely, what office to contact.
In addition, some companies that produce diabetes supplies and equipment have programs in place to help diabetes patients with money problems.
Ask you doctor if he is involved with any such company that supplies items such as blood glucose meters, test strips, and so on. If he is, he may be able to order the appropriate supplies through his office.
Next check in with your local social services department in your neighborhood. Not every community has the resources to be able to afford medical financial help to its citizens. But some do.
If you have a child with diabetes who is under the age of 19, contact the SCHIP office in your community. SCHIP is a federal and state government partnership to expand health coverage to uninsured children from families with income that is too low to afford private or employer-sponsored health insurance but too high to qualify for Medicaid. If you qualify, they will be able to provide you with either completely free or low-cost coverage to help you obtain diabetes supplies.
Links to Organizations Offering No-Cost Diabetes Supplies
FreedomMedicalServices.com is a provider for Medicare as well as many private insurance plans. You have to go through their screening process to determine if you’re eligible to obtain free diabetic supplies from them. If you have insurance, odds are you will not have to pay any out of pocket costs. They do, however, have a form on their website where you can enter information and see directly if you qualify for free diabetes supplies.
CWDFoundation.org. If your child has type 1 diabetes, this organization can provide you with short-term free diabetes supplies to help you weather the storm. Especially helpful if you’re a parent who has just lost her job and/or health insurance. Their focus is entirely on the children and you will have to provide proof that you have access to no other financial resources.
The Charles Ray III Diabetes Association. This organization provides help to diabetes sufferers all over the world. They provide diabetes supplies such as insulin pumps, pump supplies, testing strips, glucose meters, and more. Their website has information on how to apply for aid through their services.
The list here is not all inclusive. There are many people and organizations willing to help. You just have to be willing to put in the time and effort to locate them.
Easy diabetic dessert recipes are in high demand with such a large portion of the population at risk for diabetes.
Now, many non-cooks are fine with shopping for the ever increasing diabetic friendly foods that are constantly hitting the supermarket shelves.
And, even though these processed foods are extremely convenient, many diabetic cooks desire to make their own diabetic desserts so they can precisely control the ingredients.
Modifying dessert recipes to be diabetic friendly mainly revolves around either lessening the amount of sugar that you use for the recipe or replacing sugar with a sugar substitute.
Many diabetics long for the days of delectable desserts and savory sweets. With the high volume of sugars, fats, and simple carbohydrates that are contained in normal desserts, diabetics are better off staying away from such temptations.
The results of eating them is usually drastic swings in glucose levels, emotional instability, inflammation of joints, and overall aches and pains. With a little know-how and an enlightening cookbook, many diabetics can still enjoy delicious homemade desserts.
Anyone who loves a good dessert would agree that a great taste simply can’t be sacrificed.
Many fruit pie recipes like apple pie or cherry pie made with fresh fruit can exchange equal amounts of Splenda sugar substitute for the written regular sugar amount.
Also, there are charts for Equal packs that show how many are required for certain measurements.
Two Easy To Make Diabetic Desserts
Here are a few recipes for diabetic desserts that show just how diverse diabetic desserts can be. Diabetic Dessert Recipe For Apple Pie
Apple Pie
Ingredients:
Pastry for 2 crust 9″ pie
6-7 large apples, peeled, cored, sliced
1/2 cup fruit sweetener (1/4 cup frozen apple juice concentrate plus 1/4 cup granulated fructose)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp margarine
Directions:
Line the pie pan with the rolled out crust. In large bowl, combine ingredients except margarine, and mix until well-covered. Empty into pan. Dot with margarine.
Cover with top crust layer, seal, and pinch edges. Cut a few small slits in crust. Bake 40 minutes at 350° F., or until crust is golden brown.
Diabetic Dessert Recipe For Applesauce Brownies
Applesauce Brownies
Ingredients:
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine oil, applesauce and cocoa. Add sugar and stir until well mixed. Beat eggs and vanilla, then add to mixture. Mix dry ingredients together, and stir into the mixture. Pour the batter into a greased 9 inch square pan.
Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the top is set, but the edges are not dried out. Toothpick should come out clean.
Sugar Substitutes That Make Diabetic Desserts Easy To Make
The above recipes are delicious and great diabetic desserts, whether cooking for yourself or for a family member. When converting your own popular recipes, consider some of the following sugar substitutes in your modified recipes.
Sugar Substitutions for Diabetic Recipes
1) Stevia – this is an extract of the sweetleaf herb and has been used by Brazilian tribes for many years. Many health addicts consider it to be the best sugar alternative around. It has approximately 200 – 300 times the sweetness of simple table sugar. And, most important for those with type 2 diabetes, it has a glycemic index of less than 1 which means that it will hardly affect blood sugar.
This herb has attracted a bit of a fanatical following around it with many sites converting traditional recipes to use Stevia in the place of sugar. Although, you can find Stevia in U.S. health stores, it has not been approved by the FDA. As are result, it is categorized as a dietary supplement. Stevia has been banned in Europe.
Studies have shown both positive and negative effects for Stevia. Researchers generally suggest seeing a doctor before taking foods with Stevia if you have high blood pressure or are pregnant.
For most people, Stevia will be somewhat an acquired taste. Much like sweeteners such as honey or molasses, it does bring its own distinct flavor to diabetic desserts.
2) Xylitol – this is a sugar that can be found in many plant and fruit fibers. One of the most popular type of products in which it can be found is chewing gum. Because it is less well known than many of the other sugar substitutes, you won’t find as many Xylitol based recipes for diabetic desserts as you will for some of the other products. Unlike regular sugar, Xylitol is actually good for your teeth and helps to make them cavity resistant. On the negative side, however, in some people it tends to cause bloating.
3) Agave Nectar – in the past couple of years, you’ve probably seen a lot of advertising for this product as a healthy alternative to sugar. In reality, however, it is simply another form of refined sugar. So, if your intent is to use is as a diabetic friendly food, you may as well forget about it and just use regular sugar instead.
4) Raw Honey – this substance is filled with great nutrients. It has tons of antioxidants, minerals, phytonutrients, vitamins, and other things that are good for you. From the standpoint of diabetics, however, it still has approximately the same affect on your blood glucose as regular sugar. However, in a choice between it and regular table sugar, it wins simply because of all the other nutrients.
5) Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet), Saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet’N Low), Sucralose (Splenda), and other chemical artificial sweeteners. These types of sweeteners are a billion dollar a year business. Millions of people take these types of chemicals either directly or indirectly every day. Health purists usually look down upon these types of sweeteners.
The obvious benefits of these sweeteners is that they add virtually no calories to your dietary intake. They have also been used in certain diabetic trials to lessen diabetes symptoms. The main drawback is that many researchers consider these substances to be carcinogenic and possibly harmful to the body in other ways as well. The secondary drawback is that, even though they add basically no calories to your diet, most people who use these forms of sweeteners tend to gain weight, not lose it.
The best diabetes menus are really not all that different from most other health menus that one might choose. Even though diabetics do have to be more careful in their overall meal choices than do people without diabetes.
But whether you have type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or gestational diabetes, your menu choices can help in reducing the amounts of diabetic medications that you need.
Putting Together Your Diabetic Diet Menu
When you do a lot of cooking at home, it’s important to read the food labels on the ingredients that you buy. When you have a choice, you want to choose the foods that have the least dramatic impacts on your blood sugar.
One way of doing this is to let the glycemic index be your guide. The glycemic index rates various foods by how fast they affect the blood sugar in your body. For example, when you eat white rice, it is metabolized and converted into sugar much more rapidly than whole grain brown rice. Therefore, when choosing a rice for your meal, choose brown rice. If you do this, then when you measure your blood sugar levels following a meal, you will find that your blood sugar has not spiked as much as it would with white rice.
Add Complex Carbohydrates To Your Diabetic Menu
You can also increase the amount of complex carbohydrates in your diet. Complex carbohydrates are perfect foods for diabetics because they are broken down into glucose at a slower rate than the many simple carbohydrates that we are so fond of.
This slow metabolizing process helps you in two ways. One, your body is not overloaded with that ‘sugar rush’ that results when you eat simple carbohydrates, only to be followed by a lack of energy. And, two, your body has more energy throughout the day, because the source of that energy, glucose, is being released into your body at a more measured rate.
Good sources of complex carbohydrates are beans, nuts, whole grains, and selected vegetables. In general, when planning your diabetes menu, you want to have as few simple carbohydrates as possible.
Using Carbohydrate Counting In Your Diabetic Recipes
When planning diabetes menus, many people will practice something called carbohydrate counting. Nearly all packaged foods that you buy from the grocery store have food labels which list the ingredients and certain nutritional facts. One of these facts is the number of grams of carbohydrates within a serving.
Carbohydrate counting is simply counting the grams of carbohydrates in the various foods and allocating them as evenly as possible throughout the various meals during the day. This is a very effective way of avoiding sugar spikes and keeping your blood sugar levels on an even keel.
Adding Fiber To Your Diabetic Diet
And, lastly, increase the amount of fiber in your diet. Fiber is healthy for you in a number of ways. But, for a diabetic, it is especially helpful in that it slows down the rate at which glucose is absorbed into the body. And this helps to control your blood glucose. Another nice by product of consuming fiber is that it helps in your weight loss efforts as well.
Good sources of fiber are whole-grain cereals, fruits, and vegetables. Many studies have shown that people who eat more fiber are less prone to become diabetic. And, those with diabetes, are better able to control their blood sugar level.
You can find more diabetes information about diabetes meal plans and diabetes food exchanges at mayoclinic.com.
The food guide can be instrumental in helping you to develop a healthy eating plan and choose foods that won’t affect your blood sugar levels in a negative way.
