The #1 Diabetic Diet

By Karl Graus

Diabetes is a disease that raises the glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream to higher than normal levels. Glucose levels can rise when the body is resistant to insulin, the hormone that helps cells metabolize glucose into energy, or when the pancreas fails to make enough insulin to support the body's needs. In either case, it is important to maintain positive control over the level of blood sugar to prevent some major health problems, including the possibility of entering a diabetic coma. The proper diet for diabetics has been a subject of some contention in the past.

The common conceit for people with diabetes was that they couldn't eat sugar and carbs at all, or risk serious health problems. 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. Many artificial sweeteners have been created that are supposed to replace sugar in a diabetic diet.

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. While some artificial sweeteners do not contain calories or carbs, they're still not completely safe in a diet for diabetics for other reasons.

Basically, a diet for diabetics benefits the most from a more relaxed approach to sugar and carboydrate regulation. It's a fact that the diagnosis of diabetes shouldn't prevent people from eating all of the foods they enjoy most. However, this is only possible given very meticulous monitoring the amount of carbohydrates a diabetic takes in every day. Both starches and sugars are included with carbohydrates, so in addition to foods that are sweet, potatoes and pasta also should be consumed in limited quantities.

The best decision is to add more fresh fruits and vegetables to one's diet. The natural sugars contained in these foods are different from glucose; therefore, the body can use them without danger of elevating the blood's glucose level. The fiber that you'll get from the fruits and vegetables are sufficient to let their body more efficiently eliminate waste, leaving the person feeling more full.

The old myth that families should prepare separate meals for the diabetic member(s) has been busted. 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. - 29887

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