Diabetes is a chronic disease that would soon be termed an endemic illness as it rings a bell over the world. It is a disease that causes the body to lose its ability to process blood sugar or blood glucose. Diabetes is a disease that affects both adults and children. This illness causes the body to lose its ability to process sugar.
When blood sugar increases, it is known as hyperglycemia and when it decreases, it is known as hypoglycemia. As it is now, according to the dietary guidelines for America, 11% of people in the US have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. On the account for prediabetes, 35% of adults have it.
The major cause of diabetes in the world today is as a result of excessive consumption of unhealthy foods; mostly excessive carbs and sugar. Now that one has been diagnosed with diabetes, what are the foods to avoid to prevent a relapse?
The major macronutrients are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Amongst the macronutrient, carbs have a major role to play in blood sugar regulation. Why? because after carbohydrate catabolism, the end product is sugar which readily enters the bloodstream. That being said, this doesn’t mean that other macronutrients do not have a role to play in blood sugar regulation, they do, but their role is minimal. To always be on the safe side in the course of your diabetes management, below are 5 unhealthy foods you should avoid like a plague.
1. Sugary beverages
As a diabetic patient, you may subsequently get the urge to take sugary beverages. That is understood, but you should know that sugary beverages like cola, sweetened coffee, and tea shouldn’t be on your food list as these drinks are unhealthy for your condition. Sugary drinks contain a lot of carbs which when taken can cause your blood sugar levels to increase as they contain lots of sugars. In addition, these sugary drinks also contain a type of sugar known as fructose. When fructose is ingested through these sugary drinks, it can lead to complications like fatty liver disease, belly fat, and insulin resistance which is a pioneer of diabetes.
What do you take instead of these diabetes-aggravating drinks? You can take water, which is very paramount, club soda, and unsweetened iced tea. Though, water ought to be tasteless but if you want it to be tasty, you can add a bit or slice of whole fruit like lemon to it.
2. Bad fats; Trans fat.
As a diabetic patient, you are not expected to eat any fats or fat products that come your way. You have to scrutinize and check out any fat or fat products you are consuming to ensure it is the right one for you. Fats you should steer clear like a rat from a cat are trans fat and unsaturated fats. Transfat is a composition of unsaturated fat and hydrogen composed through a process known as hydrogenation. These fats are found where you wouldn’t want them to be found. Oops sorry, I am still going to list them anyway. These fats can be found in margarine, peanut butter, spreads, creamers, and frozen dinners.
Although trans fat does not directly affect blood sugar levels as a study has revealed, they cause inflammation, insulin resistance, and belly fat which can lead to heart diseases in the long run. It is known that trans fat has been banned in most countries like racism, but it doesn’t mean that all food is free of artificial trans fat. Manufacturers are not expected to state if trans fats are present in a specific product if it is below 0.5g. To be on a safer abode, always watch out for products that have the inscription “hydrogenated fat” on their ingredient list. Besides, there are healthier choices of fat to choose from such as unsaturated and polyunsaturated fat which can be seen in olive oil, flaxseed oil, and Omega-3 fatty acid.
3. Flour products; white bread, rice, and pasta.
As a diabetic patient, you should back down from anything that says flour such as white bread, rice, and pasta. These flour products elevate blood sugar levels because they are very high in carbs. In addition, one study showed that refined flour products don’t only spike blood sugar levels, they also reduce the efficiency of the brain in people with type 1 and 2 diabetes. What’s more? These highly processed flour foods do not contain fiber which helps to slow down the absorption of sugar in the body. what to do? Scrap out these flour product foods from your food plan and replace them with fiber-rich food.
Research has shown that fiber reduces blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. An added benefit? they also help to reduce the level of cholesterol. As a diabetic patient, go for fibers rather than carbs.
4. Packaged snack food
Most times, we get to eat snacks in between meals to either pass time or erase the pang of hunger we feel. Packages of snack food are a no-go area when it comes to managing diabetes. This is because they are made with refined flour with little or no nutrients. They digest easily and rapidly raise blood sugar levels. Examples of package snacks include saltine crackers, pretzels, and Graham crackers, to mention but a few. A study has it that manufacturers of these foods state below the actual grams of carbs present which may cause you to ingest more carbs without your knowledge. Is there an alternative? Yes. When ever you feel hungry in between meals, instead of snacking on this highly processed food, go for nuts, cheese, and low-carb vegetables instead.
5. Fruit-flavored yogurt
Most times, plain yogurt is often suggested as treat for diabetic patients as it contains no sugar, additives, or carbs. For the fruit-flavored spec, the story is different as it is the exact opposite. Fruit-flavored majorly consist of low-fat or non-fat milk present with is a lot of sugar and carbs. A cup serving of fruit-flavored yogurt contains 31 grams of sugar, meaning nearly 61% of its calories come from sugar. It could be said that yogurt contains less sugar than ice cream. However, that may not be entirely true as yogurt could contain twice as much sugar as ice cream according to this research. To be on the safer side as regards diabetes management, opt for plain whole-milk yogurt as they do not contain sugar, fat, or carbs. Plain yogurt is also beneficial for gut health, weight loss, and appetite.
Takeway
Being diagnosed with diabetes can be alot to handle, especially in diet management. However, sticking to the right diet can make it easy and manageable. Avoiding or minimally consuming food such as; sugary beverages, bad fats(trans fat), flour product; white bread and pasta, packaged snack food and fruit flavoured yoghurt can help prevent diabetes relapse. Instead, you can consume food such as beans, eggs, plain yoghurt, food rich in fibres, vegetables, and unsaturated and polysaturated fat.
Mkay health blog (HWF analyst) 