Food Myths for People with Diabetes
Posted on October 20, 2016 with 0 comments
Dixita, Certified Diabetes Educator, and trained nutritionist at Advanced Diabetes Centre busts common food myths for people with diabetes:
Myth: People with diabetes must follow a strict diet
Reality: People with diabetes can eat the same food that rest of their family members eat. Nutrition guidelines recommended for people with diabetes have been quite flexible to include many choices to suit individual taste and preferences. As per the guidelines, everyone irrespective if they’ve diabetes or not, should eat a healthy diet that includes fruits, green vegetables, whole grains, proteins and also heart-healthy fats (monounsaturated fat – canola oil, olive oil, avocados, nuts etc.; polyunsaturated fat – safflower oil, cottonseed oil, flax seed oil, sunflower oil, soybean etc.; omega-3 fatty acids – commonly found in fish). There’s no need to cook separate food for people with diabetes. In fact, eating the same healthy food with everyone in the family makes it more special.
Myth: No starchy foods even though rich in fibers if you’ve diabetes – starch increases blood sugar and causes weight gain
Reality: Carbohydrate is one of the main energy sources for the body. Even people with diabetes need some carbohydrate in their diet. Starchy food such as chapatti, roti, rice, pasta and also fruits, milk, yogurt, desserts etc. contain carbohydrates. Anything in excess is harmful to our body. If you’re eating more calories than what you’re burning, then you are sure to gain weight. One needs to balance the quantity of these starchy foods to keep an eye on blood glucose levels and control body weight. Read our blog – How many carbs should you eat a day?
Myth: Never succumb to food cravings if you have diabetes
Reality: C’mon, that is not fair. Each one of us has food cravings. People with diabetes are also not an exception. Many times, we see people who completely cut out on all sweets and reduce the quantity of food way too much as they want to lose weight. But this is not right. Cravings are in fact, body’s response to these drastic steps. If you want to deal with cravings, follow a healthy meal plan. Nutrition experts at Advanced Diabetes Centre work with you. To suit your individual taste and preferences, we recommend a customized diet plan for you. Read our blog – Know your meal plan. An occasional inclusion of sweets is permissible after consultation with your nutrition expert. Don’t stay away from the enjoyment of the flavor that you get a craving for. Remember, everything in strict moderation is the rule of the game.
Myth: Low-sodium diet – that’s a must for people with diabetes
Reality: There’s no reason to reduce salt and sodium from your diet if you have diabetes. However, if you have high blood pressure, it is recommended that you control the intake of sodium. The best way to cut down extra sodium is to stay away from canned food items such as soups, vegetables, salad dressings, etc. Eating fresh and healthy food makes all the right difference. Even though you do not suffer from high blood pressure, it is advisable to avoid these canned food items. Some people are sensitive to salt and may experience an increase in blood pressure after they eat salty foods.
Myth: Eat fat as much as you like – Fat doesn’t affect blood glucose levels
Reality: This is quite wrong. A fat rich meal slows down digestion. Insulin takes longer to work in presence of fat and thus there’s a possibility of the rise in blood glucose levels after consuming a fat-rich meal. We already discussed heart-healthy fats that reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol and help in increasing good (HDL) cholesterol. High levels of bad cholesterol increase the risk of heart attack or stroke. Saturated fats (red meat, butter, cheese, whole milk etc.) or trans-fats (common in fast foods, ready-to-eat snacks, margarine etc.) are strict to be avoided. Fat-rich food is high in calories that may cause weight gain.
If you want to get more information on how to effectively control your diabetes, prevent life-threatening complications, and lead a normal life, contact experts at Advanced Diabetes Centre.
Advanced Diabetes Centre offers comprehensive Organised Diabetes Care under one roof. Advanced Diabetes Centre has an entire team of specialized diabetes consultants, including expert clinicians from other specialties such as Dermatology, Cardiology, Neurology, Nephrology, Surgery etc. Qualified and trained nutrition experts, physiotherapists, diabetes educators guide the patients throughout and empower them to take control of their diabetes.
For more information give a missed call to 7227000100 and for appointments call 0261-2600100.
Advanced Diabetes Centre is committed to improving Organised Diabetes Care.
Tags: Advanced Diabetes Centre, Blood Pressure, blood sugar, Cholestrol, Diabetes, Diabetic, Diet, Food, glucose, Meal plan, Myths