Dietary changes that may be helpful
The relationship between eating carbohydrates and type 2 diabetes is complex. While eating carbohydrates increases the need for insulin to keep blood sugar normal, diets high in total carbohydrates do not necessarily increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Researchers have found that diets very high in sugar may worsen glucose tolerance in nondiabetic animals and humans. However, the amount of sugar used in these studies in proportion to other foods was much larger than is typically found in human diets.
Eating carbohydrate-containing foods, whether high in sugar or high in starch (such as bread, potatoes, processed breakfast cereals, and rice), temporarily raises blood sugar and insulin levels. The blood sugar–raising effect of a food, called its “glycemic index,” depends on how rapidly its carbohydrate is absorbed. Many starchy foods have a glycemic index similar to table sugar (sucrose). People eating large amounts of foods with high glycemic indexes have been reported to be at increased risk of type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, eating a diet high in carbohydrate-rich foods with low glycemic indexes is associated with a low risk of type 2 diabetes. Beans, peas, fruit, and oats have low glycemic indexes, despite their high carbohydrate content, due mostly to the health-promoting effects of soluble fiber.
Diabetes disrupts the mechanisms by which the body controls blood sugar. Until recently, health professionals have recommended sugar restriction to people with diabetes, even though short-term high-sugar diets have been shown, in some studies, not to cause blood sugar problems in people with diabetes. Currently, the American Diabetic Association (ADA) guidelines do not prohibit the use of moderate amounts of sugar, long as blood levels of glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol are maintained within normal levels.
Most doctors recommend that people with diabetes to reduce the amount of sugar eaten in snacks and processed foods, and replace these foods with high-fiber, whole foods. This tends to lower the glycemic index of the overall diet and has the additional benefit of increasing vitamin, mineral, and fiber intake. Other authorities also recommend lowering the glycemic index of the diet to improve the control of diabetes.
By : Healthnotes
