The disease of diabetes is characterized by having excessive amounts of sugar, or glucose, in one’s blood. This is caused by many different things : your body’s resistance to insulin, or a pancreas that doesn’t generate the proper amount of insulin for you to function properly. Insulin is a hormone that the body uses to convert glucose into energy. In either situation, it is very important for diabetics to maintain control of their blood sugar levels so that that can avoid serious health problems, including the risk of falling into a diabetic coma. The proper diet for diabetics has been a subject of some contention in the past.
For a very long time, it was held that diabetics needed to avoid sugar and other carbohydrates, period. Because sugar is very easily and quickly turned into glucose in the bloodstream, it was usually thought to be the more harmful thing for the body. Now, many diabetics replace sugar in their diet with the various artificial sweeteners that have been developed.
And doctors are now more accepting of the fact that most diabetics will come into contact with sugar and other carbs, no matter how carefully they try to monitor their diets. While it is true that there are artificial sweeteners out there that have zero calories and no carbohydrates, that does not mean that diabetics can safely use them.
Ultimately, the diet for diabetics that should be followed is identical to a healthy diet for anyone. Believe it or not, diabetics CAN continue to enjoy their favorite foods. However, this is only possible given very meticulous monitoring the amount of carbohydrates a diabetic takes in every day. You have to look out for potatoes and pasta as much as sugary, sweet foods, as carbohydrates have sugars and starches in them as well.
The ideal diet for a diabetic would include more fresh fruits and vegetables. Fruit and veggies contain natural sugars that can be used by the body but are just enough unlike glucose to stop them from raising the blood glucose level. Also, they have more fiber, which is not only instrumental in helping the body get rid of waste, it also makes you feel full, which leads to lower calorie consumption.
It’s also not true that meals for diabetics need to be made seperately from everyone else’s food. The fact is that the best diet for diabetics is the same as the diet the rest of the family should follow. This should be a balanced diet of plenty of fruits and vegetables, along with the right amount of proteins and starches, and only a few fats.