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Glucose is an important source of energy for our body.
Because it’s the energy we get from it that helps us move, think, and make our hearts beat. Glucose is essential for the functions of the body’s vital organs.
But if there is not enough glucose (sugar) in the blood, various serious health problems will occur.
Prominent among them is diabetes. Over time, diabetes affects the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.
Type 2 diabetes, which is more common in adults, occurs when our bodies do not produce enough insulin.
Low- and middle-income countries have a higher prevalence of diabetes than high-income countries.
What to eat and what not to eat to keep blood sugar levels under control is a question that arises for most people.
To find out the answer, we spoke to Pérez Qualtron, vice president of the Latin American Diabetes Association and associate professor of medicine at the National University of Colombia.
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Why should blood sugar be controlled?
You’d think that eating sugar would raise your blood glucose levels, but that’s not the case.
Our body has an enzyme that keeps the glucose level at the right level 24 hours a day.
But, it is necessary to keep it under control. That is, its size should neither increase nor decrease.
If one has too much glucose in the body for a long time, the body releases many toxins that can cause health problems over time.
Diabetic patients with uncontrollable high blood glucose (hyperglycemia) suffer from vision loss and kidney failure. Also, it goes to the extent of removing hands and feet.
If the blood sugar level drops, the patient may die within seconds.
Therefore, the blood sugar level should neither increase nor decrease.
There are healthy glucose levels that diabetics should have.
For example, a person should have a glucose level of 100 or below after six to eight hours of fasting.
This amount should not exceed 140 after taking food. Beyond that is a problem.
Are there foods to keep blood sugar under control?
There are foods that help control blood sugar and foods that should not be taken. There are three ways to follow a healthy diet.
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- Fruits and vegetables should be consumed.
- Avoid saturated sugar foods completely.
- Monounsaturated fats should be taken instead of saturated fats. Fiber-rich foods, including wheat, can help keep glucose levels under control. Along with this, you should also take more liquid food.
What fruits and vegetables should be consumed? How much to eat?
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Eat as many vegetables as you can. There is no control over it.
But there is a limit to the fruits we take.
Fruits should be eaten in portions only. You can have two servings of fruits and three servings of vegetables in your three daily meals.
By consuming three different colored vegetables a day, the body will get the necessary vitamins and minerals.
Many of us eat too many bananas at times. But, banana contains more sugar than other fruits.
Most fruits contain about 10% glucose. That is, 100 grams of fruit contains only 10% glucose. But, banana contains 20% glucose. Oranges contain 5% glucose.
A person who eats four oranges and a single banana has the same amount of sugar.
What foods contain added sugar?
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Coffee is taken with sugar for breakfast in most countries. So, we should avoid added sugar in coffee.
Patients who find their coffee bitter without added sugar can replace sugar with a sweetener.
There are two types of calorie-containing sweetener and calorie-free sweetener. Consuming caloric sweeteners can increase glucose levels. So, take calorie-free sweetener.
However, the calorie-free sweetener affects the micro-organisms, including bacteria, in the stomach. This poses some risks.
These microbes keep our body weight under control. And they’re the ones that produce the neurotransmitters that make us feel happy.
Most soft drinks are made with zero-calorie sweeteners. These affect our gut microbes.
Also, do not take liquid foods that contain a lot of sugar, including fruit juice.
A good example of this is: potatoes and strawberries – when asked which of the two is sweeter, everyone says strawberries.
But which of the two has more sugar? 100 grams of strawberries contain 5% sugar. But, 100 grams of potato contains 20% sugar.
Juicing strawberries dissolves the sugar in them. So, our body absorbs sugar quickly. Therefore, it is better to eat strawberries as they are and not as juice. The same rule applies to potatoes.
These are the hygiene practices we follow in our diet.
What are saturated fat foods?
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Eat monounsaturated fats instead of saturated fats.
Olive oil is recommended for this.
Fat that solidifies at room temperature is high in saturated fat.
This leads to uncontrolled insulin in our blood.
This naturally increases the sugar level in the body.
20 ml daily Taking olive oil is considered best. This will reduce the level of glucose in our body.
What should diabetics eat and what should they not eat?
Consume more fruits and vegetables. Avoid sugary foods and soft drinks.
Nuts and deep sea fish should also be taken.
Daily walking should be done not only with food.
Skating and swimming practice are also good. However, make it a habit to walk more than 7,000 steps daily.
Avoid sitting for long periods of time. It’s the chair that kills someone. The chair is a silent enemy.
If you’re sitting for eight hours a day, cut it by two or three. Start working out standing or walking.
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Is it dangerous to have a glass of wine?
Moderate alcohol consumption is considered good for the heart. But, if the amount is too high, it is dangerous.
Because alcohol promotes the formation of new triglycerides in the liver, it can be harmful to a diabetic.
What else to do?
Sleeping time is very important.
What to do to regulate sleep? Daily physical activity should be increased.
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