A Great Diet for Diabetics

Diabetes is a diseases that is caused by eleveated levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood stream. This can be caused by the body being resistant to insulin, the hormone that aids the cells in metabolizing glucose for energy, or by a failure of the pancreas to produce enough insulin for the body’s needs. No matter how your diabetes is caused, you have to be able to control your blood sugar levels in order to keep yourself from falling into a diabetic coma. There has been some disagreement in the past about what constitutes the best diet for diabetics.

For a very long time, it was held that diabetics needed to avoid sugar and other carbohydrates, period. The reason for this is because sugar is easily broken down into glucose, and as a result it enters the bloodstream faster than other carbohydrates. 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. Artificial sweeteners do exist that add no carbohydrates or calories to foods, but just because a food is sugar free does not mean that it is especially safe for diabetics.

In all honesty, the best diet for diabetics is the same as the best diet for other members of the family. Diabetics can continue to enjoy all of the foods that they love. The difference is that extra care should be taken to monitor and limit the number of carbohydrates consumed in each 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.

Basically, your best bet is to eat more veggies and fruits as a diabetic. 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. 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. The fact is that the best diet for diabetic patients 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.