Welcome to Diet Tips

Sugar in the Diabetic Diet

Diabetics must limit, or better yet eliminate, their sugar intake because it causes spikes in blood glucose levels. Sugars in sodas and other drinks are especially dangerous because dissolved sugars are digested more quickly.

Choose sugar-free foods - or foods labeled "no sugar added." You can also choose to use artificial sweeteners – just be careful, as some of these may contain unnecessary carbohydrates. More importantly, they cause an increase of insulin levels almost the same way real carbs do - it's a bodily reflex to the sweet taste occurring faster than the carbohydrates can really be absorbed.

Diabetic Diet Plan

Here are a few simple tips for managing your diabetic diet:

• Eat whole grain bread and cereals up to six servings a day;
• Increase the number servings of raw vegetables;
• Try to completely avoid sugars, sweets and pastries made of refined white flour.

Diabetes and Nutrition

If you have been diagnosed as a diabetic, you should consult with a health care professional to form a nutrition plan and get diabetes management tips.

Make sure that your diet contains plenty of fiber. Fibers slow down and reduces the absorption of carbohydrates by the intestines. This helps to control blood sugar levels. As a diabetic, you want to add soluble fiber - as a supplement or in natural foods such as in oat meals - to each meal that you eat.

The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet

The Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet (TLC) is a diet that is commonly recommended for diabetics who have high cholesterol and are overweight. The diet seeks to reduce sources of cholesterol in the diet, while promoting weight loss.

Under the TLC diet, fats make up between 25% and 35% of the total calories eaten each day. Fats are reduced to below 7% of total calories, carbohydrates 50%-60%, and proteins between 15% and 20%. At least 20-30 grams of fiber should be consumed each day, and the total cholesterol of all meals should not exceed 200mg per day.

Diabetes and Smoking

Diabetics are already prone to poor circulation, and smoking can lead to the formation of blood clots in the legs and other extremities. Smoking also exacerbates the risk of stroke and heart attack in diabetics.

New Diabetes Management Guidelines

In September 2005, the American Diabetes Association published new guidelines for people at high risk of type 2 diabetes (the most common type). They have two lists of tips, one for prevention, and one for management of diabetes.Diabetes Prevention

1. Lose weight: even 7% slimming may cut the risk
2. Reduce fat and calorie intake
3. Choose foods with low glycemic load and glycemic index
4. Have at least 28 grams of fiber every day
5. Make at least half your grains whole grains.
6. Exercise for at least 2.5 hours per week

Diabetes Management

Eat healthy carbohydrates
Limit saturated fats
Eliminate trans fats
Reduce dietary cholesterol to less than 200 mg a day
Eat fish at least twice weekly


Definitions

• Healthy carbohydrates, according to the American Diabetes Association, are those in fruits, legumes, vegetables, and whole grains
  
• Gglycemic load is a ranking system for carbohydrate content in food based on their glycemic index and the portion size
• Glycemic index values are calculated by measurements of how fast a food affects blood sugar levels
• Diabetes type 2, non-insulin-dependent diabetes or adult-onset diabetes is characterized by insulin resistance and hyperglycemia

Diabetes and High Blood Pressure

The American Dietetic Association advises that you should eat 6 servings of starches such as bread, cereal, and starchy vegetables every day and 5 servings of fruits and vegetables.

Foods to limit:

Have sweet dessert once or twice a week at most, and reduce the portions. Use artificial sweeteners instead of table sugar whenever is possible.

Caffeine, Insulin, Ketosis, and Fat Burning

Caffeine-containing foods and drinks are not allowed on many low carb or car diets because of caffein's influence on insulin. Diabetes Care (2002) published an article describing how excess caffeine caused not only problems with inducing ketosis but also with insulin sensitivity. When this sensitivity is compromised so are the results of any diet and not only a low carbohydrate one.

However, it seems to depend on too many factors to be the must on a low carb diet. One thing to consider is the positive influence of caffeine on lipolysis (fat burning) and general alertness, which is know to greatly influence dieting outcome.

The results of the interplay "ketosis-lipolysis" can be individual, so you can experiment - unless you have medical contraindication regarding strong coffee, tea, and the like.

Diabetes Meal Plan

If you have been diagnosed as a diabetic, you need to monitor your intake of carbohydrates to make sure that you maintain your blood sugar levels.

When planning your meals, try to be consistent. You should try and eat the same amount of food at the same time each day. This way, you can be sure to keep your blood sugar levels constant.

Carb supplements

Supplements sold as carb or starch blockers inhibit the body's production of the starch-digesting enzyme, alpha-amylase. Clinical-strength blockers are good enough to use them in diabetic diets. Not all commercial blockers efficiency were clinically validated so it's hard to tell whether the effect will be greater with greated doze.



The exception is the bean extract - Phaseolus Extract, which isi clinically tested but it seems that the dozes in the trial is higher than those sold as supplements.



Sources:



Bo-Linn, G.W., et al., Starch blockers--their effect on calorie absorption from a high-starch meal. N Engl J Med, 1982. 307(23): p. 1413-6.



Layer, P., G.L. Carlson, and E.P. DiMagno, Partially purified white bean amylase inhibitor reduces starch digestion in vitro and inactivates intraduodenal amylase in humans. Gastroenterology, 1985. 88(6): p. 1895-902.

Diabetes and Weight Management

Excess fat affects glucose levels and the body's ability to make and use insulin in all people. However, being victim to diabetes makes these bodily functions extremely sensitive.

People with diabetes, especially Type 2 diabetes, can benefit greatly from weight loss because their insulin sensitivity can improve. Weight loss in diabetics also helps decrease the risk of diabetic complications (impaired blood circulation, poor wound healing, and high blood pressure, etc.)

Foods to Avoid as a Diabetic

Diabetics should avoid sugary sweets, as these foods will cause a diabetic's blood sugar level to spike.

Diabetics should count the grams of carbohydrates that they ingest with each meal, and have an idea of how quickly these carbs will affect their blood sugar. To be able to do this, get the list of Glycemic Index of common foods, which is widely avialable online. On the list, be careful to choose the foods with Glycemic Index below 60.

Adding some of the "good" fats, like olive oil ot tree nut oils, to a meal can help to reduce the amount of carbohydrates that will be absorbed to the blood.