Diabetes expert reveals rise of cases in children during pandemic
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Continuing to eat whatever you like might feel good in the moment, but if it’s putting your health in danger, the short-term satisfaction isn’t worth it. What can you eat with type 2 diabetes? Specialist dietician Douglas Twenefour, who works at the charity Diabetes UK, commented on the subject matter. Twenefour said: “Making healthier food choices is important to manage your diabetes and to reduce your risk of diabetes complications.”
One recommendation made by Diabetes UK is to “cut down on added sugar” – but what exactly is this?
This involves not adding teaspoonfuls of sugar to your recipes, teas or coffees.
It also means not drinking sugary drinks, energy drinks or fruit juices.
For those who may struggle to cut down on sugar immediately, a low or zero-calorie sweetener can be a good transitional product to move towards no sugar in caffeinated beverages.
Diabetes UK said: “Cutting out these added sugars can help you control your blood glucose levels and help keep your weight down.
The Global Diabetes Community warned that added sugars can be found in “a whole range of processed foods”. This includes:
- Microwave meals
- Pasta sauce
- Breakfast cereals
- Desserts
“Reducing sugar intake reduces the likelihood of needing medication and diabetes-related complications,” it added.
Although sugar can provide energy, it has “no other nutritional value”, meaning it’s considered “empty calories”.
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Simple guidance for cutting back on sugar
“Don’t have takeaways more than once a fortnight,” advised the Global Diabetes Community.
“Replace sugary cereals with plain porridge or whole grain cereals,” it added.
The best beverage you can have when you’re trying to manage blood sugar levels? Water.
Another tip is to get into the habit of having fruit instead of sugary snacks or desserts.
But fruits contain sugar…
Yes, fruits do contain sugar, but it’s “natural sugar” clarified Diabetes UK.
“Whole fruit is good for everyone and if you have diabetes, it’s no different,” the charity emphasised.
Natural sugar differs from the kind of added sugar found in chocolate, biscuits and cakes.
When you have diabetes, it’s really important to eat a healthy diet.
A healthy diet consists of plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grain carbohydrates, beans, pulses and nuts.
At the same time, it involves cutting down on salt, red meat, processed meat, and saturated fat.
An unhealthy diet, on the other hand, can cause blood sugar levels to spike.
If this happens often, nerve damage, organ damage and other health conditions are likely to emerge.
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