Thursday, August 5, 2010

3 Diabetic Foods to Avoid

 No food is truly diabetic. Food is food. However there are some that are designed and marketed with the diabetic in mind. Although these foods are less likely to raise your blood sugar, are they safe to eat indiscriminately?.

Here are 3 diabetic foods to avoid - and the dangers of eating them.

1. No sugar added ice cream and candy. 'No sugar added' labels can be deceptive. Although chemically speaking these no-sugar-added treats contain no true sugar, they do contain the same number of calories as products containing high-fructose corn syrup or sucrose. Look closely and you'll see 'not a low calorie food' in smaller print. Whereas these products do not contain sugar, they do contain alcohol sugars. Although alcohol sugars do not elevate blood glucose levels as rapidly as table sugar, they still do so, on the same order as complex carbohydrates.
Most diabetics have a sweet tooth, and many believe no-sugar-added desserts can be eaten without limitation. Although an occasional treat will do little harm, eating a large amount of no-sugar-added ice cream or other sweets will add significantly to the daily caloric intake, thus causing weight gain and elevated blood sugar levels. Additionally, alcohol sugars are laxatives and can cause loose stools. Many a patient has been surprised to learn that the cause of their diarrhea is excess consumption of 'diabetic' candy or even gum.

2. Sugar-free drinks. There's a difference between sugar-free and no sugar added. Sugar-free indicates that no sugar of any type, whether regular sugar or alcohol sugar, is contained in the product. (It's best to check the list of ingredients, however, to make sure.) These artificially sweetened drinks will not add to your daily caloric intake nor raise your blood sugar level, but they may contain other potentially harmful ingredients.
Those high in sodium may raise blood pressure levels. Since diabetics should be aiming for a lower blood pressure than non-diabetics, this is bad news. Colas and energy drinks often contain caffeine, which can cause palpitations, insomnia, jitteriness, and anxiety. Soft drinks that contain high acid levels may degrade tooth enamel, and caramel coloring may stain the teeth. Diabetics should maintain a high fluid intake, but primarily in the form of water.

3. Fat-free pastries. Many diabetics have high serum cholesterol levels, so fat-free pastries sound like a good idea. However, to compensate for the decreased fat content, the sugar and carbohydrate content may be increased. Calorie count may actually be the same as that of regular pastries. Because cholesterol levels are related not only to fat content, but to blood sugar levels and total calories consumed, the fat-free products may have little if any beneficial effect on cholesterol levels. Eating half a piece of regular strudel is probably better than eating a whole slice of fat-free coffee cake.
For diabetics and non-diabetics alike, moderation is the key. Eat real food, mostly plants, like your grandparents did, and you'll be well on your way to a healthy diet.
Copyright 2010 Cynthia J. Koelker, M.D.
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