On World Obesity Day 2020, which falls on March 4, I would like everyone to pay attention to managing their weight according to appropriate standards. This is to prevent complications from obesity, especially for diabetic patients who should choose to eat nutritious and healthy foods to prevent obesity and prevent blood sugar levels from rising further.
“Diabetic food” is not different from the food we eat in our daily life. Hence, people with diabetes can eat the same as the general population, only more carefully selecting the quality of food and controlling the amount more appropriately to avoid consuming too much sugar.
At this point, we often encounter many questions about how to eat when you have diabetes. Today, let’s look at one of the frequently asked questions, which is “What foods increase blood sugar levels?” To answer this question, let’s see what kinds of food they are
Normally, the food we eat every day, whether it’s rice, flour, vegetables, fruits, meat, milk, eggs, all contribute to increasing blood sugar levels, but in varying amounts. It’s found that foods containing carbohydrates have the most significant effect on increasing blood sugar levels when compared to proteins or fats. Therefore, to keep blood sugar levels within proper limits, people with diabetes should control the amount of carbohydrate intake appropriately. What foods contain carbohydrates? The answer is carbohydrates can be found in various foods, including rice, flour, sugar, vegetables, fruits, milk, and milk products. We do not find carbohydrates in meats and fats.
Foods Containing Carbohydrates
1) Sugar
Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that can be rapidly converted into blood sugar, where sugar can change into blood sugar by 100% in just 15 – 30 minutes only. This causes a rapid increase in blood sugar levels. Examples of foods that contain a lot of sugar include granulated sugar, syrup, all types of soda, and jelly, among others. Although current evidence allows consuming sugar up to 10% of the daily required energy, it is recommended that diabetics should avoid or consume sugar in a minimal amount. This is because sugar only provides energy without any essential nutrients for the body, such as vitamins, minerals, or dietary fiber, etc. Additionally, eating sugary foods does not make you feel full, leading to increased food consumption and thus higher blood sugar levels. Except in cases of low blood sugar, drinking a soda about 150 ml or eating 2 sugar cubes can help correct low blood sugar.
2) Rice, Flour
Foods like rice, bread, noodles, and vermicelli, for instance, can convert into blood sugar by 90 – 100% within 30 – 90 minutes. Besides carbohydrates, rice and flour foods also contain proteins, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers essential for the body. Especially unpolished rice, such as brown rice, or whole wheat bread, should not be excessively avoided or limited by people with diabetes as it may cause low blood sugar. It’s important to consume them in appropriate amounts. Additionally, some foods classified as rice/flour types include potatoes, oats, barley, chestnuts, taro, pumpkin, and mung bean vermicelli. When it comes to mung bean vermicelli, many wonder if it is a protein. The answer is mung bean vermicelli is a carbohydrate type food affecting blood sugar levels similar to eating plain rice. Therefore, if eating mung bean vermicelli and the mentioned foods, it’s necessary to plan to reduce the rice amount in that meal to control blood sugar levels more effectively.
3) Fruits
All fruits contain carbohydrates. Hence, whether eating oranges, mangoes, guava, apples, bananas, or durian, all affect blood sugar levels. Different fruits have varying amounts of carbohydrates. Additionally, fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers necessary for the body. Thus, people with diabetes do not necessarily have to stop eating fruits. Just limiting the amount of fruit eaten in each meal to an appropriate level can help control blood sugar levels. The appropriate amount per meal could be 1 medium apple, 1 medium orange, 1 small guava, 1/2 of a banana, 1 egg/banana, 4 – 5 lychees/r mangosteen, 10 pieces of watermelon, or 2 segments of pomelo, etc. Nonetheless, those with diabetes should avoid or abstain from all kinds of fruit juices, both packaged juices or freshly squeezed juices, even those without added sugar or honey. Remember that all fruits have carbohydrates; think about how much fruit is needed to make a glass of juice and how quickly it can be consumed without feeling full, providing high energy, and simultaneously causing a rapid increase in blood sugar levels unless in a condition of low blood sugar, drinking 120 ml of fruit juice can help correct low blood sugar situations.
4) Vegetables
Vegetables are foods that contain a small amount of carbohydrates, classified as complex carbohydrates rich in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers that help slow down blood sugar and effectively control blood sugar levels. Vegetables should be consumed in every meal, whether raw or cooked. However, it is not recommended in the form of juice, especially strained vegetable juice that makes us miss out on necessary dietary fibers. It’s important also to control the consumption of high-starch vegetables, such as pumpkin, carrots, sweet potatoes, pea pods, etc. Thus, when drinking healthful vegetable juices like carrot juice, people with diabetes should control the amount they drink.
