DEBUNKING COMMON DIABETES FOOD MYTHS

DEBUNKING COMMON DIABETES FOOD MYTHS Jul,28,2020

Diabetes is a group of diseases that occur when the blood glucose level (or blood sugar) is too high. This could be due to problems with the hormone insulin, which is released by the pancreas to break the glucose content from the food and use the sugar and fat for energy. It is reported that more than 34 million people in the US have diabetes, and around 20% of them are not even aware of it. If you are someone you love needs help with common diabetes problems, contact your nearest Los Angeles Low Income Health Clinic. There are many misconceptions around eating and diabetes as well, which make it even more confusing. Below are some of the common myths that are related to food and diabetes.

Sugar-Free Foods Do Not Cause Diabetes

While following a sugar-free diet can be beneficial for your overall health, it does not necessarily mean that a sugar-free product will not raise your blood glucose levels. That is because the amount of total carbohydrate you consume also affects your blood sugar. So eating a sugar-free chocolate cookie with no sugar content but around 20 grams of carbohydrates will still affect your blood glucose level.

Gluten-Free Foods Have No Carbs

Gluten-free food products are designed for people who are unable to digest the protein gluten, which is found in wheat, rye, and barley. However, that does not mean that all gluten-free foods will be free of carbohydrates. Different gluten-free products use different kinds of starches, such as potato and rice, which means that they can still contain the amount of carbohydrates to affect your blood sugar level.

Sweet Potatoes are Better than White Potatoes

All kinds of sweet potatoes are healthy when they are eaten in controlled quantities. Sweet potatoes have high amounts of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and can be safely included in your diabetes-friendly diet. However, they still contain around 24 grams of carbohydrates per cup, which means that eating a lot of sweet potatoes always has a risk of increased blood sugar level.

Fruits are Full of Sugar and Can Raise Blood Glucose 

While it is true that all fruits contain a natural form of sugar, known as fructose, they also contain a lot of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other disease-fighting compounds. So avoiding fruits altogether from the diet will not be a wise option; instead, you should keep an eye on the portions around the different fruits you eat every day and control that to stay healthy.

Honey is Good for Diabetic Patients

Both honey and white sugar have roughly around the same amount of sugar and carbohydrates in grams per teaspoon. However, as honey is sweeter than table sugar, it allows you to use a less amount of sweetener to your daily food. So again, it is not only the product you use but also how you control the intake that affects your blood glucose levels. If you are looking for more tips that are useful for diabetic family members, contact your nearest affordable health clinic today.

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    About the Author

    Dr. Ghassan M. Al-Jazayrly, MD

    A graduate of University of Aleppo Faculty of Medicine, Dr. Al-Jazayrly or, as he is colloquially known: Dr. AJ, is an oncologist and hematologist of a Complete Care Community Health Center (CCCHC) with more than 36 years of experience. In recent years, he’s been involved with a non profit organization known as Every Woman Counts (EWC) which provides free breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services to California’s underserved populations in order to eliminate health disparities for low-income individuals.

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