Healthy Eating Is About More Than Just Sugar
Sugar is not the only culprit contributing to the rise of type 2 diabetes in the U.S. The overall quality of the standard American diet is responsible for the development of diabetes type 2 or prediabetes, says UCLA dietitian Dana Hunnes. The typical diet is high in processed carbohydrates, fat, animal proteins, and salt, and low in fiber, water, fruits, and vegetables. That high caloric tally promotes weight gain. Meanwhile, all those simple carbsin things like French fries, chips, sugar-sweetened beverages, pasta, and bread made from white flour lead to a fast rise in blood sugar. When that happens, your body struggles to churn out more and more insulinwhich fails to lower blood glucose because the cells are ignoring it.
Over time, those spikes tend to wear out your insulin-producing cells altogether and the body stops making insulin. If you have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, that means that each time you eat, blood sugar just keeps climbing higher and higher unless you control it with diet, exercise, and medication.
How Much Sugar Is Too Much For A Diabetic
It is not easy to answer this question because your diabetic condition is one of the crucial factors that determine the amount of sugar intake you should have in a day. In fact, determining the correct amount of sugar intake can help you control blood sugar levels. In essence, the key here is learning how much sugar is too much for a diabetic.
Here are some guidelines you need to remember in calculating your daily sugar intake:
How Many Grams Of Sugar Can A Diabetic Have Per Day
Diabetes mellitus , often referred to as diabetes, is characterized by high blood glucose levels that result from the bodys inability to produce enough insulin and/or effectively utilize the insulin. Diabetes is a serious, life-long condition and the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism . There are three forms of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that accounts for five- to 10-percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes may account for 90- to 95-percent of all diagnosed cases. The third type of diabetes occurs in pregnancy and is referred to as gestational diabetes. Left untreated, gestational diabetes can cause health issues for pregnant women and their babies. People with diabetes can take preventive steps to control this disease and decrease the risk of further complications.Continue reading > >
Recommended Reading: Is Sugar Bad For Neuropathy
Okay: How Much Sugar Can You Eat Every Day
According to the American Heart Association, American adults consume an average of 77 grams of sugar per day, which adds up to a shocking 60 pounds annually. Its obvious that this is too much, but the thing istheres actually no official recommended daily sugar intake.
There are, however, recommended limits on how much added sugar you should eat in a day, but even those vary. The FDA suggests that no more than 10 percent of your day’s calories should come from added sugar. So, if you’re eating a 2000-calorie diet that works out to about 50 grams of sugar daily, or 364 grams of sugar in one week.
Other organizations are even more conservative with their added sugar recommendations. Both the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization both suggest about 25 grams per day of added sugar for women, or 175 grams of sugar per week.
Tooth Decay And Sugar
Sugar is one of the main causes of tooth decay.
To prevent tooth decay, reduce the amount of food and drinks you have that contain free sugars such as sweets, chocolates, cakes, biscuits, sugary breakfast cereals, jams, honey, fruit smoothies and dried fruit and limit them to mealtimes.
The sugars found naturally in fruit and vegetables are less likely to cause tooth decay, because they’re contained within the structure.
But when fruit and vegetables are juiced or blended into a smoothie, the sugars are released. Once released, these sugars can damage teeth.
Limit the amount of fruit juice and smoothies you drink to a maximum of 150ml in total per day, and drink it with meals to reduce the risk of tooth decay.
Squashes sweetened with sugar, fizzy drinks, soft drinks and juice drinks have no place in a child’s daily diet.
If you’re looking after children, swap any sugary drinks for water, lower-fat milk or sugar-free drinks.
Recommended Reading: How To Bring My Sugar Up
Eating More Plants Can Help
Choosing foods that help control blood sugar and prevent type 2 diabetes doesnt have to be confusing. Simply ask yourself this question when choosing ingredients: Did it grow in the ground or on a tree, vine, or bush? If the answer is yes, youre on the right track.
A 2019 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that people who followed a predominantly plant-based diet with a mix of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes had a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and those that eliminated less healthy foods such as white flour and sugar saw the greatest benefit. Hunnes says that, for some people, moving to a primarily whole-foods, plant-based diet might be as helpful as drugs in reducing the risk of prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
The Difference Between Dded Sugars Vs Natural Sugars:
Keep in mind that the limits mentioned above do not include the naturally occurring sugars found in fruit, vegetables, and dairy products which groups like the World Health Organization say are less of a health issue. But figuring out the difference between added and natural sugars can be tricky. Luckily, newly designed nutrition labels will be a huge help. By the end of this year, added sugars and total sugar will be listed on all labels, making it much easier to spot foods packed with the sweet stuff. Until then, check ingredients lists for sugar and its 61 aliases, including these:
- agave
- sucrose
- syrup
“Ultimately, you can 100% eat dessert every day if you cut out the sneaky sources of added sugar in your diet,” says Jaclyn London, M.S., R.D., C.D.N. “Check labels religiously, but sauces, condiments, dairy products, breads, crackers and beverages are some places you might not expect to find sugar.”
You May Like: How To Get Off Sugar And Carbs
Why Is Consumption Of Sugars Important To Diabetes Canada
This position statement is based on a review of the evidence published between 1995-2015 about the role of free sugars in the diet of people living with diabetes and those at risk for type 2 diabetes. Recommendations for intake of sugars by adults and children are provided. This statement can inform policy-makers and program managers in their assessment of consumption of free sugars within their jurisdictions and influence a reduction of consumption, as necessary, through a range of public health and public policy interventions.
Diabetes Canada developed the present evidence-informed recommendations using a systematic and deliberative approach. The steps in this process included:
- Identification of priority questions and outcomes
- Retrieval of the evidence
- Review and input from experts
- Planning for communication, dissemination, implementation, evaluation and updating of the recommendations
So What Does All This Mean
If you are living with a high degree of insulin resistance, then high levels of carbohydrate-rich foods will spike your blood glucose levels. This is vastly more prominent if you eat refined carbohydrate-rich foods.
However, in the long term, the best path to improving your diabetes health is to become insulin sensitive by reducing the amount of dietary fat in your diet.
Reducing your fat intake will make your liver and muscles more insulin sensitive, which will then increase the action of insulin in both tissues. When this happens, the amount of insulin your pancreas produces will drop.
So how do you balance these two considerations to control your blood glucose at all times?
The most effective strategy is to gradually shift towards natural, whole carbohydrate-rich food over time, slowly removing high-fat foods and refined carbohydrates from your diet, along with other strategies like daily movement and intermittent fasting.
You May Like: What Type Of Sugar Is Good For Diabetics
What Is Carbohydrate Counting
Carbohydrate counting is a meal planning approach that evenly distributes your carbohydrate calories throughout your day by counting out the right amount of carbohydrate foods for each meal and snack. The emphasis with carbohydrate counting is on how much carbohydrate you eat at any one time, NOT on which type of carbohydrate you choose. Stay away from fad diets that restrict the amount of carbohydrates you can eat.
The Bitter Side Of Sugar
Sugar is sweet, but too much of it can sour your health. Whole foods like fruits, veggies, dairy, and grains have natural sugars. Your body digests those carbs slowly so your cells get a steady supply of energy. Added sugars, on the other hand, come in packaged foods and drinks. Your body does not need any added sugars.
Also Check: Are Bananas Bad For Blood Sugar
Finding The Hidden Sugar In The Foods You Eat
Are you skipping cookies, cake or other sweet treats to reduce your sugar intake? Give yourself an A for effort, but youre probably still eating more sugar than you realize. The average American eats 22 teaspoons of added sugar per day, according to the American Heart Association. Youre likely not adding that much sugar to food yourself, so could you really be eating that much? Well, yes, says Erin Gager, R.D., L.D.N., a dietitian at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, because sugar is in a lot more foods than you may think.
Choose Sources Of Lean Protein
Protein is an essential nutrient that is needed every single day, and unlike carbohydrates and fats, protein cannot be stored in the body. As we get older, experts recommend we consume higher amounts of protein to help maintain muscle. Protein can also help manage hunger and promote satiety. Protein is found in a variety of foods that are either animal- or plant-based, including chicken, beef, eggs, milk, legumes, nuts, soy, and whole grains like quinoa.4-7
You May Like: How Do I Get Off Sugar
Cereals And Other Foods
Choosing whole, unprocessed breakfast foods such as an apple, or a bowl of steel-cut or old fashioned oatmeal that dont have lengthy ingredient lists is a great way to avoid eating added sugars. Unfortunately, many common breakfast foods such as ready-to-eat breakfast cereals, cereal bars, instant oatmeal with added flavoring, and pastries can contain high amounts of added sugars.
Some ingredient lists mask the amount of sugar in a product. To avoid having sugar as the first ingredient, food manufacturers may use multiple forms of sugar each with a different name and list each one individually on the nutrient label. By using this tactic, sugars are represented separately in smaller amounts, which makes it more difficult for consumers to determine how much overall sugar is in a product.
- So dont be fooled your body metabolizes all added sugars the same way it doesnt distinguish between brown sugar and honey. When reading a label, make sure you spot all sources of added sugars even if theyre not listed as the first few ingredients.
Sweet treats can be enjoyed in moderation, but make sure youre aware of added sugars elsewhere in your diet, such as breads, drinks and cereals.
Industry-sponsored labeling programs can also be confusing. One such program, called Smart Choices, drew scrutiny from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2009 for calling one popular cereal which is 41 percent sugara Smart Choice.
How Much Sodium Should A Diabetic Have Per Day Blood Sugar Support
Diabetes can be a tough thing to live with. There especially can be numerous battles when a person is recently diagnosed, however the main one is remaining in rejection about it. Some people may get excellent blood sugar control with diet plan and fitness just, but then just having glucose checked when at the physicians check out. Another struggle might be the lack of interest, materials or care to inspect that glucose a minimum of once a day.
For lots of people with diabetes, food is the most significant battle. The countless us who have ever attempted a diet plan understand how difficult it is to alter how we eat. Diabetes is filled with food misconceptions, so most need assist knowing whats true and whats not. Your time and money will be well spent if you choose to get some education from a registered dietitian or a qualified diabetes educator.
No matter how you or a liked one is dealing with diabetes, theres constantly hope in those struggles going away or improving. Were here to assist do just that! However initially, lets dive a little deeper into the depths of this illness and get a food understanding of what everything means.
You May Like: Does Rice Spike Blood Sugar
How To Eat Less Sugar With Type 2 Diabetes
I dont want to mislead youit wasnt torture and it wasnt impossible, but it was a real challenge and I had to be super conscious of my choices all the time, which was honestly quite annoying. I did achieve my goal on most days, but certainly not all of them. If youd like to keep your sugar intake low, too, heres what I learned:
Learn More About Treating Type 2 Diabetes
The Diabetic DietDiet is very important in diabetes. There are differing philosophies on what is the best diet but below is a guideline with some general principles.
Patients with type 1 diabetes should have a diet that has approximately 35 calories per kg of body weight per day . If you have a child who has type 1 diabetes, we encourage you to read our article about meal planning for children with type 1 diabetes.
Read Also: What Tea Is Good For Blood Sugar
Adding Fat And Protein
Making plates that contain carbs, protein, and healthy fats can help you keep your glucose levels in better balance than by eating simple or refined carbs alone.
Proteins to include as part of your healthy diet:
- Meat, such as poultry, fish, and lean red meats
- Eggs
How Many Carbs Should I Eat
Theres no one size fits all answereveryone is different because everyones body is different. The amount you can eat and stay in your target blood sugar range depends on your age, weight, activity level, and other factors.
On average, people with diabetes should aim to get about half of their calories from carbs. That means if you normally eat about 1,800 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight, about 800 to 900 calories can come from carbs. At 4 calories per gram, thats 200225 carb grams a day. Try to eat about the same amount of carbs at each meal to keep your blood sugar levels steady throughout the day .
This sample menu has about 1,800 calories and 200 grams of carbs:
Breakfast
½ cup rolled oats 1 cup low-fat milk 2/3 medium banana ¼ cup chopped walnuts Total carbs: 65 grams
2 slices whole wheat bread 4 oz. low-sodium turkey meat 1 slice low-fat Swiss cheese ½ large tomato 1 TBS yellow mustard ¼ cup shredded lettuce 8 baby carrots 6 oz. plain fat-free Greek yogurt ¾ cup blueberries
You May Like: What Helps High Blood Sugar
What If You Want To Lose Weight
“The problem with sugar and weight loss isn’t candy, soda and cookies,” says Megan Kober, RD, a registered dietitian and founder of Nutrition Addiction. “The problem is juice bars, smoothies made with 2 cups of fruit, acai bowls-these foods that people are loading up on for weight loss and health that have 40, 50, even 60 grams of sugar a pop.”
“Honey, agave, coconut sugar-it’s all sugar,” she says. “It all causes a blood sugar spike. It all causes a rush of insulin to be released. It all puts your body into fat-storage mode.”
Kober’s thoughts on how much sugar to stay under to lose weight? “Are you really going to tally up how much sugar you’re eating all day long, added sugar versus natural sugar? No. I doubt it,” she says. Instead, “Eat one or two servings of fruit every day. Choose berries more often, because they’re high in fiber and lower in sugar than other fruit.” And, she says, “At any single meal, you really shouldn’t be consuming more than 10-15 grams of sugar at once if you want to keep your blood sugar steady and body in a fat-burning zone.”
Is 4 Grams Of Sugar A Lot For A Diabetic
If you have diabetes, your daily intake may need to fall beneath the AHAs recommendations. Putting this into context, 4 grams of sugar equals 1 teaspoon. Based on your doctors recommendations, you may quickly reach your maximum intake with just a breakfast pastry and a couple of cups of sweetened coffee.
Recommended Reading: Does Drinking Lots Of Water Help Lower Blood Sugar
Are You Eating Too Many Or Too Few Carbohydrates
People are more aware than ever of which macronutrients theyre consuming. And recently, there have been a number of diets like the Paleo diet and the ketogenic diet that focus on carbohydrate counting to specifically limit your carb intake.
The theory is that low-carb diets are effective because carbohydrates increase your blood glucose, and high levels of blood glucose can be a major concern if youre living with any form of diabetes.
The logic is simple. Remove the carbs, remove the high blood glucose, get healthy. Right?
But actually, a diet high in carbohydrates the right carbohydrates can drastically improve your health and even contribute to reversing type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance.
In this article, well explore how eating carbohydrates affect your blood glucose and your health as a whole.
Then, well explain how to manage your daily carb intake for different goals, like weight loss or insulin sensitivity, and discuss the transition to a low-fat, plant-based, whole-food diet high in whole carbohydrates a diet that has been proven to increase health and reduce your risk for chronic disease.