Food and Nutrition Research Institute
Diabetes is a disease that affects the way the body uses food. It raises sugar levels in the blood.
During
normal digestion, foods are converted into a form of sugar called
glucose. The blood transports glucose to cells of the body with the
help of insulin, a hormone manufactured by the pancreas.
The
pancreas is a small organ near the stomach. Glucose is then changed
into usable energy for use by the cells. The process of turning foods
to energy is very important because the body always needs energy for
any action, from thinking to running.
In diabetics, food is
changed into glucose readily. But there is a problem with insulin. It
may either be absent or insufficient. Cells cannot use the glucose in
the bloodstream to make energy. The glucose accumulates in the blood
leading to high sugar levels, a characteristic of untreated diabetes.
The
signs and symptoms of diabetes are frequent urination, excessive
thirst, extreme hunger, sudden weight loss, weakness and fatigue,
recurring or hard to heal skin or gum infection, drowsiness, tingling
or numbness in hands or feet, itching of skin and genitals, sudden
vision changes, and blurred vision.
A diabetic may deliver a baby that weighs more than 4 kilograms.
For diabetics, food planning is very important. Knowing what foods to avoid will help control the levels of blood sugar.
The
glycemic index of foods is a useful guide on what foods to eat. GI is
a classification of foods based on blood glucose response relative to a
starchy food or glucose standard. GI is influenced by factors such as
starch structure, sugar, dietary fiber, presence of fat, protein, and
degree of food processing.
Foods can be classified according to
GI. The foods enumerated here use glucose as standard, where glucose
has a value of 100. Foods with high GI are cornflakes, rice cakes,
watermelons, white rice, baked potatoes, and whole wheat breads.
Foods
with moderate GI are ice cream, mango, oatmeal, and pineapple while
those with low GI are apple, fettuccine and other pasta, oats, lentil,
barley, soybean and other beans, and yogurt.
Low GI foods can
decrease demand for insulin and improve insulin sensitivity. These
foods are digested and absorbed slowly resulting to a gradual rise in
blood glucose and improved glycemic and weight control. These foods
when taken at supper can maintain blood glucose levels through the
night.
It should be noted that GI should not be the only
criterion used in planning the types of foods for diabetics. Other
important dietary considerations are the total amount of carbohydrate,
amount and type of fat, and fiber and salt content of foods.
Understanding GI to ward off health inconveniences
Recent
studies on large numbers of people with diabetes show that those who
keep their blood sugar under tight control best avoid the complications
of diabetes like heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower
extremity amputations.
Experts agree that what works well for
people with diabetes and everyone are regular exercise, little
saturated and trans-fatty acids, and high-fiber diet. Carbohydrates
break quickly during digestion and can raise blood sugar to dangerous
levels.
When diabetics make use of GI to prepare healthy meals,
it keeps their blood sugar levels and weight under control. Many
carbohydrate-rich foods have high GIs, and certainly they are not good
in any substantial quantity for people with diabetes.
Other
carbohydrates like complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber break down
more slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the blood streams and are
said to have lower GIs which are good for diabetic patients.
Studies
on GIs by experts showed that many of the starchy foods produce the
highest glycemic response. These are white bread, some breakfast
cereals, e.g. cornflakes, and baked cheesy potatoes.
Low
glycemic foods include beans, barley, pasta, oat, apple, orange, peach,
peanut, strawberry, sweet corn, and carrot. Vinegar and lemon juice
help reduce glycemic load, the amount of carbohydrate in a serving of a
particular food.
Many foods have few available carbohydrates in
a standard serving. These are called free foods because they are
essentially free of any impact on blood sugar. These foods contain less
than five grams of available carbohydrate in a 100-gram portion. The
rest of the portion is protein, fat, fiber, ash, and water.
Examples
of free foods are: (1) vegetables asparagus, beans, cabbage, broccoli,
cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, okra, mushroom, tomato, radish, spinach,
turnip and pepper; (2) fruits avocado, raspberry, strawberry; (3) eggs
and dairy cheese, milk, eggs, yogurt plain, and; (4) beverages coffee,
diet soda, tea, and water.
The GI should, however, not be the
only criterion when selecting what to eat. The total amount of
carbohydrate, amount and type of fat, and the fiber and salt content
are also important. Factors such as variety of foods, cooking methods,
and processing may also affect a food's GI.
For more information on this topic, parties may write or call
The Director
Food and Nutrition Research Institute,
Department of Science and Technology
Gen. Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig, Metro Manila,
Tel/Fax: 8372934, 8373164;
E-mail: cvcb@fnri.dost.gov.ph;
website: http//www.fnri@dost.gov.ph
Source: Science and Technology Information Institute (STII)
Low glycemic index foods work best for diabetics
Published in
