Diet For Diabetics

By Karl Graus

When you have diabetes, you have more glucose in your blood stream than the normal human bring. Diabetes can be caused by a person's body being resistant to insulin (a hormone responsible for metabolizing glucose), or if a person's pancreas is unable to produce enough insulin to sustain bodily functions. No matter the cause, you needs to control the level of sugar in your bloodstream, or else you can suffer from serious health concerns, among them the potential of entering into a coma. The best diet for diabetics is a topic that has caused a lot of arguments and debate.

For years, the prevailing wisdom was that diabetics should strictly avoid foods high in sugar and other carbohydrates. 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.

Nowadays, that thought process has been relaxed a bit, as physicians have come to terms with a diabetic's inevitable exposure to sugar at some point. There are some brands of artificial sweeteners that don't add any calories or carbohydrates to food, but it's important to remember that just because a food is sugar-free doesn't guarantee it is safe for diabetics.

In all honesty, the best diet for diabetics is the same as the best diet for other members of the family. It's entirely possible for diabetics to eat anything they like within reason. The difference is that extra care should be taken to monitor and limit the number of carbohydrates consumed in each 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 best decision is to add more fresh fruits and vegetables to one's diet. These foods include natural sugars that the body can use but are different from glucose in enough ways to keep them from increasing the blood glucose level. In addition, they contain more fiber, which helps the body to eliminate waste better and make the person feel full so that fewer calories are consumed.

The myth that diabetic meals should be prepared separately from the rest of the family has been disproven. Basically, a diet for diabetics doesn't have to be different than anyone else's in their family, as long as they are careful. This includes many vegetables and fruits, and a balanced intake of starches and proteins, as well as the occasional fat. - 30310

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