People with diabetes should carry out an almost daily control of their nutrition to take a measurement of the blood glucose levels. That is, to establish a control of the possible rises and falls of the values of blood glucose. Physical exercise is another of the main factors that affect episodes of hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia.
There are two main factors to take into account regarding food. One of them is the glycemic index value and the other is the amount of carbohydrates it contains. Specifically, the glycemic load is the differential value. That is, the element that offers the best view of how a food affects glycaemia.
Foods that increase blood glucose the most
Although it may seem strange, people with diabetes are not prohibited from eating any type of food. However, there are a number of foods that due to their characteristics should be limited in any diet or consumed as little as possible.
Mashed potatoes
Thus, we find a wide variety of everyday foods that can contribute to increasing blood glucose levels at great speed, especially harmful for people with diabetes. Among them, the following stand out:
- Bread
- Sugar
- Honey
- Noodles
- Mashed potatoes
- Ice creams
- Noodles
- Caramel sauce
- Sweet potato
- Sweet cookies
Sugary cereals
Refined wheat flour
Corn starch, manioc
Jams
Bakery and pastry products
All these foods should be limited as much as possible in the daily life of people with diabetes. Fortunately, there are now numerous substitute foods with similar flavors.
Nutrients that lower blood glucose
On the other hand, we also find different groups of foods, nutrients and products that reduce levels blood glucose. These are more beneficial for people with diabetes, although it is not recommended to abuse them, because it can lead to episodes of hypoglycemia.
The glycemic index is a term that has been used for a few years in the field of food to determine the capacity of a food to increase blood glucose. It is an element of great importance for people with diabetes.
On the other hand, another differential factor in food for people with diabetes is the level of carbohydrates that a food product can provide. Taking both factors into account, what is known as glycemic load was created.
The glycemic load arises from multiplying the glycemic index of a food by the carbohydrates in the ration and dividing it by 200.
In short, the glycemic load is a key element in determining whether a food produces a rapid increase in blood glucose levels or not.
It may happen that a food has a high glycemic index, but the glycemic peak is not really that high. This phenomenon occurs mainly in some fruits, which can offer a high content of glycemic index but low levels of carbohydrates.
How to measure blood glucose
Blood sugar is measured in healthy people in a conventional fasting blood or urine test. It should be especially monitored in obese people older than 50 years with arterial hypertension or hypercholesterolemia.
The situation is different for people with diabetes. If applicable, you will need to check your blood sugar levels with a blood glucose meter every morning. With this measuring device, the blood glucose concentration, i.e. blood sugar, is determined immediately.
