This day is very important for people with diabetes because it is World Diabetes Day.
This day was initiated by the IDF, i.e., the International Diabetes Federation in order to promote better management of diabetes and spread awareness among individuals who have this condition.
In fact, diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose because the body is unable to respond to insulin or produce enough insulin.
It is important to be careful with your lifestyle or diet in order to have better diabetes management, but it is also important to tell facts from myths. To commemorate this day and to spread awareness we will discuss the top 6 myths about diabetes.
Top 6 Myths About Foods and Diabetes
1. Eating Sugar Leads to Diabetes
We should bust this myth once and for all, consuming sugar does not cause diabetes. But it can play a role when it comes to the development of diabetes. As you probably know diabetes results in increased blood glucose levels.
Diabetes type 1 has been connected to an autoimmune response to the unforeseen trigger and genetics. On the other hand, diabetes type 2 has been connected to a few factors such as having high blood pressure, poor overall diet, and a sedentary lifestyle.
To prevent diabetes you need to stay away from sugary drinks and foods, but to pin, the desserts are the main cause is a wrong assumption.
2. People with Diabetes Should Avoid Fruit
This is also a myth. People with diabetes actually can eat fruits; they just need to make sure that they are low GI fruits. You need to avoid fruits with high sugar content. As a matter of fact, all fruits contain natural sugar which might pose to be an issue for people with diabetes.
If you are a fruit lover, opt for fruits that are low in GI (Glycemic Index) and high in fiber. Such fruits are plums, apples, peaches, pears, and oranges.
3. People with Diabetes Should Not Eat Carbs
This is also not true. As a matter of fact, carbs are a vital source of energy and the best source when it comes to fiber. It is the kind of carbs that makes the difference.
Simple carbs like juice, candy, and white bread send the blood glucose levels on a rollercoaster ride. Also, these carbs make it difficult to manage this condition.
While on the other side, complex carbs like a potato with its skin, whole grain bread, and beans contain fiber which helps keep blood glucose levels until the next meal.
4. People with Diabetes Should Not Eat Desserts
False once again. People with diabetes can have desserts but in moderation. According to doctors, restricting yourself too much might result in binge-eating later.
Therefore, having a small serving of dessert on certain special occasions is not as harmful as people think. That dessert won’t harm you if you ensure to balance the carb intake by including more low GI foods and foods high in fiber.
5. People with Diabetes Should Not Eat Potatoes
False, false, false. This is also not true, you should not remove potatoes from your usual diet, what you need to do when it comes to potatoes is to be careful about how you consume them.
For example, potato wedges, French fries, and chips are usually made in refined oils and are bad carb sources. You can eat potatoes but only if they are baked, boiled, or mashed.
Yes, potatoes are high GI food, but they are abundant in potassium, vitamin V, and fiber that you need to include in your usual diet. If you include potatoes which is a starchy vegetable as part of your meal, make sure to balance potatoes with non-starchy vegetables.
You can combine potatoes with lettuce salad, broccoli, and green beans all of which are non-starchy vegetables.
6. Sugar-Free Foods Do Not Raise Blood Glucose
This is also a myth. Bear in mind that the ice cream container may say “sugar-free” but that does not also stand for “carb-free.” Remember, the food packages do not tell the whole story. Always check the content, the 2 most important things are total carbs and serving size.
Remember, for every food moderation is the key. We hope not now you know more when it comes to foods and diabetes, and that we spread the necessary awareness today.
