Posts Tagged ‘diabetes diet’

insulin spike chartGlycemicEdge.com, a leading nutrition and health wellness community site, has updated and expanded its popular glycemic index food list and now features food scores from 12 categories of foods and nearly 200 individual foods.

The glycemic index is a scoring system which rates foods on a 0-100 basis according to their impact on digestion and insulin levels, based on the type of carbohydrates used. The glycemic index diet plan has become increasingly popular for wellness, weight loss, and has been particularly well received by pre-diabetics, diabetics, and those following a heart healthy cardiovascular health plan.

According to Wayne Mitchell of GlycemicEdge.com, the best part about the glycemic index diet is it’s realistic approach to choosing foods while not banishing carbs. “Low carb and no carb diets are really challenging to follow. They also don’t have the health benefits that “low GI” or good carb foods provide. With low glycemic foods, you get the benefit of feeling “fuller” with foods that put much less strain on your digestive system and pancreas, controlling the release of insulin.”

Another popular benefit for low glycemic foods is weight loss, as your metabolism adjusts and switches from primarily burning carbs as a fuel source to burning fat. Whole grains and complex carbohydrates are emphasized while simple carbohydrates and foods which result in a sudden, rapid insulin spike during digestion rank high on the GI scale and should be avoided.

“Our users love the ability to compare foods, find some surprising foods that are good low GI choices, and print and take lists with them when they do their shopping and planning for their families. About 70% of our users are moms planning for their families, and the charts and food lists are a great resource to make this easier for them.”

Users can print the lists for free and are invited to share questions and submit food scores of their own to help grow community awareness. Also featured are south beach diet food list and printable shopping guides.

Researchers have for the first time determined that the ketogenic diet, a specialized high-fat, low carbohydrate diet, may reverse impaired kidney function in people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. They also identified a previously unreported panel of genes associated with diabetes-related kidney failure, whose expression was reversed by the diet.

The study is the first to show that a dietary intervention alone is enough to reverse this serious complication of diabetes, a finding with significant implications for the tens of thousands of Americans diagnosed with diabetic kidney disease. To read more about this promising new diabetes diet online at Science Daily, >CLICK HERE<

 
 

Photo credit: Marcus Vegas

 

A flavonoid called fisetin, found in abundance in strawberries, has been found to lessen complications of diabetes in mice. Fisetin is a neuroprotective flavonoid that can target multiple organs, suggesting that a single natural remedy could be developed to address numerous diabetes complications. 

 

But obtaining a protective patent to bring a natural product like fisetin to market is difficult, meaning further research is stalled until researchers can find someone willing to support a clinical trial. Read more about the benefits of strawberries and the recent research on fisetin and diabetic complications on Diabetic Live.

Photo: Kittoikun Atsawintarangkul

Many diabetics, and those caring for diabetics, are confused and concerned about the best diet for diabetes control. The issue is of concern to both insulin dependent diabetics (many of whom balance a combination of mealtime and long acting insulin to maintain blood sugar control) and to type 2 diabetics who are able to manage their diabetes with diet, or a combination of diet and oral diabetes medication.

WebMD has explored ten common beliefs and myths about diabetes and diet. Is diabetes caused by eating too much sugar? Does having diabetes mean that you can never eat another dessert? Should diabetics avoid all carbohydrates? Can you adjust your insulin dosage to allow you to “cheat” on a diabetes diet?

What’s the deal on artificial sweeteners? Is there such a thing as too much protein? For the answers to these and other commonly asked questions about diabetes and diet, visit Ten Common Diet Myths at WebMD.com.

woman grocery shopping

Photo: Ambro/FreeDigitalPhotos

Nutrition is vitally important in diabetes management and blood sugar control. About.com’s Nutrition and Diabetes page editors have compiled a wealth of information on healthy eating for diabetics including facts on carbs, calories, fiber and the all-important glycemic index; advice on surviving restaurant meals and holiday dinners, and even diabetes-friendly recipes and meal plans.

For those with an interest in alternative approaches, the Nutrition and Diabetes page also provides information on less conventional diets such as vegetarian, raw food and vegan. Other articles give you the lowdown on foods believed to have a positive affect on blood sugar and insulin resistance, such as fenugreek, prickly pear cactus and omega 3 fatty acids.

There are articles on sugar substitutes and hidden sugars, and nutrition facts and carb and calorie counts for individual foods like avocados, pomegranates, eggplant and watermelon (warning – very high carb!). The page also links to articles with recommendations for losing weight, specific diet tips for those with kidney disease, and even advice on healthy eating on a budget.

When making any major changes to your diet and/or activity levels, bear in mind they may impact your blood sugar levels and need for diabetes medication. Consult your healthcare provider about possible changes to your insulin dosage or other diabetes medicine.

To view About.com’s Nutrition and Diabetes page, >CLICK HERE.<

diabetic cheesecake

Photo credit: Simon Howden

Receiving a diagnosis of diabetes usually means a change in lifestyle and diet.  If you are like me – I have a terrible sweet tooth – I had this mental image of all things sweet and good disappearing from my diet.  Imagine my surprise to discover this is not true.  In fact, doctors and nutritionists recommend eating fresh fruit.  And there are many ways to make delicious diabetic desserts.

As with all foods, we diabetics have to watch our portions, and even more so with sweets.  Do not make this cheesecake and eat it all before bedtime!  But incorporated into a healthy diet, you should be able to enjoy it.  With its sugar-free ingredients and fresh fruits, it is healthy and tasty enough for anyone!

Read the full article

Photo credit: genkaku

It’s been called both a “dieter’s dream” and a “health expert’s nightmare”. Marketed by Proctor & Gamble (P&G) as a fat replacer, Olestra is a chemical combination of table sugar and soy bean oil, creating a substance called “sucrose polyester”. Olestra has the same texture as fat, but no calories or cholesterol, and its molecules are so large that they pass through the body undigested and unabsorbed.

Olestra has been on the US market as a food additive under the brand name Olean since 1998, when it received FDA approval for use in “light” and “fat free” versions of savory snack foods such a potato chips, tortilla chips, popcorn, and crackers. In late 2008, the FDA expanded the approval to include the use of Olestra in pre-packaged cookies. Read the full article

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Part of the challenge of living with diabetes is eating well without feeling deprived. The American Diabetes Association has some helpful tips to “diabetize” your favorite family recipes so they can remain part of your lifestyle. Among their suggestions:

1)   Reduce sodium.

2)   Reduce saturated fat.

3)   Pump up the vegetables.

4)   Increase fiber.

5)   Reduce portion size

Click here for the full post >American Diabetes Association.<