The importance of diabetic nutrition in blood sugar control

As diabetes is heightened when diabetes blood sugar levels become raised, the advice is to balance these levels by avoiding highs and lows. Sugar, salt, caffeine, alcohol, cigarettes and refined and processed foods such as white bread, cakes and pastries cause a rush of sugar into the bloodstream and should be avoided. After this initial surge, diabetes blood sugar levels can then drop dramatically, even causing hypoglycemia, with symptoms such as sweating, hunger, anxiety, irritability, rapid heart rate, palpitations, blurred vision, tingling lips and turning pale. Hypoglycemia can also be caused by too much medication (consult your doctor) or alcohol, which inhibits glucose production by the liver. To avoid these sudden dips in diabetes blood sugar levels, try to keep them even by not missing meals and following the dietary advice given here. This can help stop imbalances that lead to vicious cycles, as foods that raise blood sugar levels can create cravings for more of the same.

Many other conditions such as depression, headaches, fatigue and insomnia are affected by fluctuating diabetes blood sugar levels, and as they lead to high cholesterol and heart disease risk, this dietary advice is appropriate for everyone.

With diabetes, the balance of macronutrients such as carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, is crucial. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and The World Health Organization (WHO) recommend a diet high in complex carbohydrates, low in saturated fat and high in fiber. This is because it is the combination of saturated fat and sugar that causes the accumulation of fat which increases insulin insensitivity, diabetes symptoms, risks and side effects.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates, found in vegetables, fruit, cereal grains and dairy products, are made from simple sugars, which all eventually break down to glucose. While carbohydrates are our main source of fuel and should make up half of our daily calorie intake, it is vital to make the right choice of the type of carbohydrate to be eaten, depending on the speed in which it breaks down into the glucose components in the body.

Refined carbohydrates or sugars are very simple molecules. What we call “sugar” for cooking and eating is actually sucrose – just two molecules of glucose that offer a very quick supply of sugar to the bloodstream, demanding a high need for insulin that the diabetic cannot supply. Sucrose is found in processed foods, candies, cakes, soft drinks, fruit juices and very refined carbohydrates such as white bread, where the bran part of the wheat has been stripped away. This quick release of sugar can be laid down as fat if the body cannot employ insulin to use it correctly. Current research has shown that many diabetics may be eating more sugar than they think, because many have a reduced ability to taste sugar. Lowering blood sugar levels is a priority; converting sugars into fat takes place in the liver and can lead to the obesity that is often associated with diabetes.

Complex carbohydrates, known as starches, release their sugars more slowly, so are used for energy rather than laid down as fat. These are termed starches. They also contain fiber, which also helps to slow down sugar release and eliminate toxins from the body to help prevent disease. The whole-grain bran part of cereal grains that is removed in white flour and processed foods contains fiber and provides glucose molecules that are bound together in more complex structures. Vegetables and fruit in their natural, raw state provide complex carbohydrates bound in fiber. They therefore take much more time to break down into their simple sugars and provide a more slow and steady release into the bloodstream, which is much easier for someone with little insulin to deal with. Pasta, potatoes, brown rice, and brown bread can be eaten in a diabetic diet if the appropriate fat-intake guidelines are also observed and they are eaten with proteins to slow down their release of sugars. The carbohydrate issue is, however, not as simple as previously thought.

Fiber

Fiber can either be soluble or insoluble and a balance of both in the diet is very important for health in those with diabetes. Fiber helps to level out blood sugar by slowing down digestion and the release of sugar from food. Aim for 35 grams per day to balance blood sugar, lower cholesterol levels, clean the colon of toxins and to help prevent heart disease.

Soluble fiber tends to be found in fruit and vegetables, such as apples, citrus fruits, carrots, cherries, avocados, beet, dried apricots and prunes and also some seed husks such as linseed, oat bran, and psyllium husks, which many people take to counter constipation. It helps digestion by absorbing water and softening stools and this can help lower cholesterol.

Insoluble fiber remains undigested and so clears the digestive system, prevents constipation, lessens the incidence of colon and rectal cancer and speeds up the elimination of waste from the body. It is found in brown rice (the fiber is removed when processed to white), rye bread and crackers, lentils, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, other whole-grains and fibrous vegetables.

Oats are a complex carbohydrate, none of which turns directly into sugar in the body. They provide 10 percent of their weight in fiber and are a perfect breakfast food. Vegetables and fruit contain cellulose, an insoluble plant fiber that contains little sugar, but it is important to remember that when cooked these become broken down more readily into sugars. This is why vegetables such as carrots, bell peppers, and parsnips taste sweeter the longer they are cooked.

Fats

The stipulation of a high-carbohydrate, low fat diet for diabetics does not mean that all fats should be avoided. Instead, it is a matter of choosing the right fats and consuming them in moderation. Lowering your intake of refined carbohydrates that cause the accumulation of body fat is a big factor, and including a controlled amount of beneficial oils and essential fats in your diet can lower cholesterol and help blood sugar regulation.

Saturated fats tend to be from animal sources, such as butter and meat fats. They are solid at room temperature and can form in the same way in the body if eaten in high amounts they can clog arteries and add to the risk of heart disease. In combination with sugars, they can become laid down as fat, and so foods combining both, such as pastries, are the main culprits of weight gain.

Monounsaturated oils are vegetable in origin and those traditionally eaten in Mediterranean countries, namely olive, almond, hazelnut, peanut, and avocado oils. They contain a fatty acid called oleic acid or omega-9 and remain liquid at room temperature, but begin to solidify when refrigerated. These have been found to have a neutral effect on blood cholesterol, although an excess can raise fat levels in the blood. The exception is olive oil, which has been shown actually to reduce blood cholesterol. However, this effect is thought to be caused by unique active components rather than the monounsaturated fat content. These are less damaged by heat than oils that stay liquid when chilled and therefore can be used for cooking.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are always liquid and contain the essential fatty acids, the omega-6 oils, that help to produce localized hormones in the body, which are important for blood sugar regulation. These include sesame, soy, walnut, pumpkin,and hemp oils. They are termed “essential” because they are crucial to body functions and must be consumed as they cannot be made in the body. Saturated fats can actually stop essential fats being used at a cellular level.

In the case of both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, eating the nuts, seeds and vegetables from which these oils are produced can also play a vital role in the effective management of diabetes. For example, the American Diabetes Association classes avocados as a “superfood” for diabetics, since not only do they contain beneficial oils but they also contain many nutrients that are important for cholesterol management and the protection of arteries against damage. Plant sterols (sterols are types of fat) help to reduce bad cholesterol and lutein helps to protect the eyes against diabetes-related degeneration. Although avocados, olives, nuts and seeds also contain some saturated fats and should be eaten in moderation, they provide omega-6 oils, vitamin E, vitamins B3 and B6, zinc and magnesium, which all aid blood sugar management.

Omega-3 oils are those found in oily fish such as salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel, trout and sardines. Like the omega-6 oils, these are essential fatty acids and are crucial to our health. Much research has shown how important these are for heart health. They should be eaten 3-4 times a week, in variety. Both omega-3 and omega-6 oils protect parts of the body that are rich in fats, and these areas of the body may commonly become damaged in a person with diabetes – the eyes, kidneys, liver and circulation from the heart. For vegetarians, hemp, pumpkin, soy and walnut oils contain some omega-3 oils but are higher in omega-6. Omega-3 and omega-6 should be eaten in a one-to-one ratio and flax or linseed can be added to food as a source of omega-3 oils.

Proteins

Proteins are the major source of building materials for the body. They can also be used as a source of energy that is released very slowly. They are therefore very good for blood sugar management and can slow down sugar release into the bloodstream if eaten with less complex carbohydrates. Caution should be taken not to obtain these only from high fat sources such as meats, but also from eggs, low fat dairy products and vegetable sources such as beans, and in small amounts from other vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower.