Why should a diabetic avoid any food other than sugar?
Of course, foods in the sugar group include candy, soda, cookies, brownies, cakes, donuts, pies, ice cream, sports drinks, punch, sweetened fruit juices, high fructose corn syrup, and anything similar that may have omitted.
Eating these foods raises blood sugar rapidly, in a matter of minutes. In a non-diabetic person, a rapid increase in blood sugar is counteracted by a rapid increase in insulin. However, with diabetes, the blood sugar level and insulin level may not match. For diabetics taking oral medications, the pancreas doesn’t respond fast enough. For those receiving injections, the peak insulin level may not match the peak sugar level. This can not only lead to high blood sugar levels, but can also lead to low readings, if insulin peaks when blood sugar is not elevated.
Few diabetics know that simple carbohydrates raise blood glucose as fast as sugar. Simple carbohydrates include white bread, white potatoes, white rice, breakfast cereals, instant oatmeal, pancakes, and waffles. Having a few slices of toasted Wonder bread or a cup of instant oatmeal for breakfast doesn’t sound bad until you realize that this has the same effect as eating a candy bar.
So the first reason to avoid certain foods is to regulate blood sugar. However, there are important reasons why diabetics should avoid other foods.
High calorie foods tend to cause weight gain and include foods not only high in sugar, but also high in fat. Certain “diabetic” foods may have no sugar but be high in fat. Since most adult diabetics need to control their weight, it is important to control the amount of calories and fat in the diet.
A second concern with dietary fat is the cholesterol content. A diabetic’s risk of having a heart attack is as high as that of a person who has already suffered one! And anyone who’s had a heart attack wants to spare a second. The goal for LDL cholesterol is lower for diabetics than for non-diabetics. It is difficult to achieve this desired level (less than 70 mg/dL) without resorting to medication, although some patients do so by carefully limiting the amount of fat and cholesterol in the diet.
Third, many diabetic patients have high blood pressure. Foods that contain sodium or large amounts of salt tend to raise blood pressure. A day’s intake should not be more than 2,000 mg. Since the goal for blood pressure in a diabetic is around <130-135/80-85 (as opposed to <140/90 in a non-diabetic), it is important that the patient do everything possible to keep their blood pressure low. arterial.
You may have noticed a pattern here: High blood sugar, high cholesterol, high body weight, and high blood pressure are all risk factors for cardiovascular disease: heart attack and stroke. Although high blood sugar can also affect other organs in the body: the brain, eyes, kidneys, nerves, skin, etc. – The main reason why a diabetic should avoid certain foods is to avoid cardiovascular disease.
Was that brownie you had for lunch worth the risk of a heart attack?
Copyright 2010 Cynthia J Koelker, MD