The most common lifestyle disease – diabetes – is fast turning into an epidemic. With India becoming the diabetes capital of the world, there is an increasing need to simplify the illness and the lifestyle followed. Balancing fluctuating blood sugar levels tends to get quite stressful for diabetics, which in turn hampers their morale and self-care.
Another reason for this stress is that diabetics are consciously aware of the consequences unstable blood sugar levels have on the body. Uncontrolled diabetes can result in many serious complications. That can include heart disease, kidney disease, and blindness, among others.
Hence, eating the right nutrition as your diabetic diet is the key to maintaining your overall health. When your diet is made up of unwanted food, it has a direct impact on your blood glucose levels, which begin to rise. Your carb intake plays a key role in maintaining high blood glucose levels. More than identifying the recommended food for diabetes, it is important to know the wrong eating habits that are the real culprits.
Sweetened Beverages
Sweetened beverages are loaded with carbs and calories. Therefore, both are harmful for diabetics as they interfere with the management of blood sugar levels. The fructose content in these drinks leads to insulin resistance and of course diabetes. Consuming high fructose content contributes to belly fat.
Trans Fats
Another harmful food element that wreaks havoc on your blood glucose is trans fat. They are created by adding hydrogen to unsaturated fatty acids in order to make them more stable. Trans fats are found in margarines, peanut butter, spreads, creamers and frozen dinners. In addition, food manufacturers often add them to crackers, muffins and other baked goods to help extend shelf life.
White Bread, Pasta and Rice
All these processed foods are loaded with high carb and calorie content. These foods along with other refined flour foods have been shown to increase blood sugar levels in people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Being high in carbs and low in fibre is a combination which can result in hikes in blood sugars.
Read More: Best Calcium-Rich Foods for Diabetics
Fruit Yogurt
Although plain yogurt is preferred by diabetics for its nutrition, fruit yogurt is made from non-fat or low-fat milk and is loaded with carbs and sugar. Nearly 80% of the calories in fruit yogurt come from sugar. In fact, it contains even more sugar than ice-cream.
Apart from keeping a check on your diet, it is vital to keep an eye on your blood sugar levels. You can use a Smartphone glucometerfor the same.
