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The Importance of Diet in Diabetes

Your body requires a healthy balance of blood-sugar levels to function properly. If you have diabetes, your blood-sugar levels increase to dangerous levels because of your body's lack of insulin or inability to use insulin. Insulin reacts with the chemicals in your bloodstream to create ATP, the energy your body uses to generate necessary chemical energy. As a diabetic, you can regulate your insulin levels by following a low-sugar, low-fat diet.

  1. Insulin Levels and Diabetes

    • Types of diabetes include type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes removes the body's ability to produce insulin, and type 2 diabetes makes your body resistant to insulin. Normally, your pancreas secretes insulin in response to increased blood-sugar levels, which then binds to cells in your body. According to Dr. James Norman M.D., fellow of the American College of Endocrinology, the cells have receptors that absorb glucose as a response to insulin. Excessive glucose levels can lead to fatigue, mood swings and heart disease, according to Prevention.

    What Should You Eat?

    • As a diabetic, maintaining a normal level of blood sugar depends mainly upon what you eat. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), you should eat plenty of whole grains instead of white grains, because these contain the carbohydrates you need. Whole grains and other unrefined carbohydrates take longer to release sugar into the bloodstream. Fruits and vegetables contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals and fiber. Vegetables contain few carbohydrates. Eat vegetables raw or steamed with water. Don't overcook vegetables; overcooking foods removes the nutrients. Eat leafy green vegetables such as lettuce and spinach. These contain high amounts of fiber. Eat low-fat dairy and meat products to get protein, vitamins and minerals. White meat, such as poultry or fish, should take priority over red meat such as beef or pork. Avoid frying meat in grease because grease adds fat. Instead, microwave, broil or grill your meat. Also, avoid eating high amounts of fats or sweets. These include condiments such as mayonnaise or salad dressing. You can eat low-fat salad dressing, but do so sparingly. A diabetic food pyramid exists, similar in structure to the standard one: eat at least six daily servings of complex carbohydrates, two to four servings of fruit, three to five servings of vegetables, two to three servings of dairy products and meat, and spare amounts of sweets.

    Glycemic Index

    • The glycemic index provides a measure of the effect various types of carbohydrates will have on your glucose and insulin levels according to how quickly the bloodstream absorbs them. Foods with a low glycemic index number--below 55 on a scale of 100--have complex carbohydrates that take longer to digest into the bloodstream and provide healthy sources of carbohydrates, according to Diabetes Guide. Higher GI measurements indicate more dangerous foods.

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