The world’s most common diseases is diabetes, affecting more people than ever before. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA):
In 2012, 29.1 million Americans, or 9.3 percent of the population, had diabetes. Of that, 21.0 million were diagnosed and 8.1 million were undiagnosed.
Approximately 24.30 million adults and children in the world had Type 1 diabetes in 2012.
Diabetes was the 7th leading cause of death in the world as of 2010.
These statistics may be terrifying, and the numbers may get even worse in the next years.
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which a person suffers from a high level of glucose in the blood. High blood sugar levels are caused either by a lack of insulin production (Type 1 diabetes) or insulin resistance in the body (Type 2 diabetes).
When suffering from diabetes, it is important to keep blood sugar levels under control or else it can affect different parts and organs of the body, from your eyes to your toes.
Diet plays a significant role in managing the disease. There are some foods that can help lower the risk of diabetes and help with blood sugar management. On the other hand, certain foods can exacerbate the symptoms and medical complications.
Here are the 7 worst foods for diabetics
1. White Bread
White bread is a staple in many breakfast menus. It may be quick and convenient to have a slice or two of white bread with some jam or butter before leaving the house. But for diabetics, white bread is not a good option.
White bread is made of refined flour, which lacks fiber and nutrients. In fact, white bread is considered a bad carbohydrate food, which means it has empty calories and is absorbed quickly by the body. Any food that gets absorbed quickly triggers a release of insulin, which affects blood sugar.
2. Sugar-Loaded Breakfast Cereals
When you’re running late in the morning, you may not have time to eat anything but a quick bowl of cereal.
But many types of breakfast cereal are loaded with fast-digesting carbohydrates and sugar, making them high on the glycemic index (GI). When you eat such cereal, your body quickly breaks it down, which rapidly raises your blood sugar level.
Also, such cereals have few nutrients and lots of empty calories.
3. Fatty Meats
Fatty or marbled cuts of meat are not good for people with diabetes or those at risk of the disease.
A 2014 study published in Nutrients reports that meat consumption is consistently associated with Type 2 diabetes risk. Meat consumption is easily modifiable and has potential benefits of doing so, especially in people who are at a higher risk of diabetes.
In addition, fatty meats have a hefty amount of saturated fat, which initiates inflammation in the body and leads to various side effects.
Saturated fat raises blood cholesterol levels, which in turn increases the risk for heart disease. Diabetic people are already at an increased risk of heart disease. Eating high-fat meats compounds that risk.
By limiting your saturated fat intake, you can help lower your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Those at risk of diabetes can also lower their chances of developing the disease by eating less meat.
4. Soda
Sweetened sodas are hugely popular throughout America, but it is a bad beverage choice for diabetics due to the high sugar and calorie content.
Sugary drinks also contribute to an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions.
A 2010 study published in Diabetes Care reports that in addition to weight gain, higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with development of metabolic syndrome and Type 2 diabetes. People who regularly consume just one to two servings of these sugary beverages a day have a 26 percent greater risk for Type 2 diabetes than people who rarely have such drinks.
5. Canned Fruit Juice
Canned fruit juice may be a convenient way of ensuring regular fruit intake, but it is not good for diabetics or people at risk of the disease.
According to nutrition and health experts, canned fruit juices lack nutritional value. In addition, many are loaded with sugar and artificial sweeteners that can cause a dramatic spike in blood sugar levels as well as contribute to weight gain. Both these factors can worsen diabetes complications.
Instead of canned fruits, fruit punch, fruit drinks and fruit juices, opt for whole fruits with low GI scores (less than 55) like apples, avocados, berries, cherries, grapefruits, grapes, kiwis, and oranges.
6. White Rice
White rice is a staple in diets in Asian countries and very popular elsewhere in the world. But due to being highly processed, white rice can cause blood sugar spikes similar to that of sugar.
White rice has a high GI score and lacks nutrients like fiber and magnesium. The more white rice you eat, the greater your risk of Type 2 diabetes and the harder it is to control your blood sugar level.
Instead of white rice, opt for brown rice or wild rice that has high fiber content, which helps slow the rush of glucose into the bloodstream.
7. Potatoes and French Fries
Consuming potatoes –whether baked, boiled, mashed or as French fries – on a regular basis is harmful for people who have diabetes.
This is because the starch in potatoes is made of long strings of glucose that breaks down rapidly in the intestine. As the starch is absorbed into the bloodstream, it leads to a sudden spike in blood glucose levels.
Frying potatoes to make tasty French fries simply adds to the load of fat, calories, carbohydrates and sodium. Lots of fried foods are also loaded with artery-clogging saturated fat.
Source: top10homeremedies.com/
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