Sugar and diabetes
Most foods can be part of your diet when you have diabetes, but limiting certain types may help support healthy blood glucose levels and reduce your risk for other chronic diseases, in particular those related to your heart health.
Certain foods and drinks can raise your blood glucose and insulin levels and promote inflammation. These effects can increase your risk of prediabetes and diabetes.
Prediabetes and diabetes can increase your risk of other chronic conditions, including heart disease, kidney disease, and blindness.
Although you can eat most foods when living with prediabetes or diabetes, limiting certain foods and drinks may help manage your condition and reduce your risk of complications.
The foods and drinks you consume can help keep your blood glucose levels in the target range recommended by your healthcare team.
Foods and drinks with added sugars
Table sugar (sucrose), honey, molasses, and corn syrup are examples of added sugars. They help improve the flavor, texture, and shelf life of baked goods such as cakes, cookies, and pies. Equally, sugary beverages - such as cola, other sodas, fruit punch, lemonade, and some mixed drinks - are not ideal for people with prediabetes or diabetes.
Consuming added sugars in large amounts has been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. For those living with prediabetes or diabetes, limiting added sugars can help keep blood glucose levels in the target range.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar consumption to no more than 25 grams (g) or 6 teaspoons per day for women and 36 g or 9 teaspoons per day for men. This amount doesn’t include naturally occurring sugars found in plain milk, fruits, and some vegetables.
Foods with trans fatty acids
While trans fats are naturally present in small quantities in meat, butter, and milk, artificial trans fats are unhealthy. The latter are created by changing liquid oils to a solid form.
Trans fats are commonly used to improve texture and flavor and extend shelf life in commercial baked goods such as crackers and muffins, as well as fried foods, packaged snacks, and frozen foods.
Although trans fats do not directly raise blood glucose levels, they have been linked to increased inflammation, insulin resistance, and belly fat, as well as lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels and impaired arterial function.
Artificial trans fats have been outlawed in most countries. In 2018, the Food and Drug Administration banned the use of partially hydrogenated oil — the major source of artificial trans fat in the food supply — in most processed foods.
However, this doesn’t mean that all foods in the United States are now free of artificial trans fats. Manufacturers are not required to list trans fats on the Nutrition Facts label if a product contains less than 0.5 g of trans fat per serving.
When possible, avoid products that contain the words “partially hydrogenated” in their ingredient list.
Alcohol
Current guidelines for alcohol consumption recommend a limit of one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
If you have diabetes, you may want to limit alcohol consumption or avoid it entirely, as it may limit your liver’s ability to release glucose. This may cause low blood sugar levels several hours after alcohol consumption — especially if you consume alcohol without food. Alcohol may also interfere with certain diabetes medications.
You can consult a healthcare professional to learn more about alcohol’s potential effects on your individual health conditions and determine whether any amount of alcohol can safely be a part of your diet.
Useful tip
Stuck for healthy meal recipes suitable for diabetics? Get inspired by the vast ADA library by clicking the image below (or this link here).
Source: The American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, Healthline.con
Nothing in this article should be considered medical advice. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. In a case of medical emergency call 911.