The diabetic diet must be strict, and the glycemic index is key in this regard
Diabetic diet. What peculiarities must be taken into account when planning your diet?
Diet in diabetics is a determining point to regulate their disease. Whether they are type I or II, they must follow a very strict diet. Therefore, it is very important that carbohydrates are chosen carefully and according to their glycemic index.
Diabetic Diet: Glucose
In order to categorize carbohydrates, the physiological effect they produced directly on glucose and indirectly on insulin was taken as a reference. Regarding the first, a glycemic value of 100 was given, and from there the rest of the carbohydrates were classified.
Diabetics must follow a strict diet
When we eat any food rich in carbohydrates, blood glucose levels increase progressively, as starches and sugars are digested and assimilated. That is why this index is of great importance, since rapid rises in blood glucose must be avoided.
The glycemic index depends on the speed with which sugar is absorbed from the intestine and reaches the blood. The main factors that influence the glycemic index are:
1- The fiber content.
2- Your fat intake.
4- Simple type of sugar. The higher the fructose-glucose ratio, the better the glycemic index, because fructose is converted to glucose in the liver.
From the composition of the rest of the food present in the stomach intestine during digestion.
Diabetic Diet: The Glycemic Load
The glycemic index can be modified by the way of cooking and by the combination with other foods. Fats, for example, delay gastrointestinal transit and reduce glucose spikes after meals.
By rapidly increasing the level of glucose in the blood, it secretes insulin in large quantities, but in the case of diabetics, the pancreas does not work well. For this reason, they cannot get that extra glucose out of the blood. Having a high blood glucose level can affect our organs, such as the kidneys, or even our eyes.
But we have to keep in mind that the glycemic index responds when we take that food separately. Something that rarely happens. That is why we speak of glycemic load (glycemic index by amount of carbohydrates per serving).
The theory says that if we eat foods with a low glycemic index, blood glucose levels will be more stable. But if we eat a lot of food in a meal, blood glucose will also rise significantly.
Classification of carbohydrates:
- Low glycemic index from 0 to 55
- Medium glycemic index from 55 to 75
- High glycemic index more than 75
To control our glucose levels we must take into account both the direct type of carbon and the amounts. Therefore, the diet of a diabetic will be based on the mixture of carbohydrates with a low glycemic index or a medium glycemic index with fiber.
However, being a disease, it is always better to be under medical supervision. If you have more questions, here is more information about the importance of a good diet in the prevention of chronic diseases.
