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Diabetic Diets: Should Sugar Still Be In My Diet?
When people find out that they have diabetes, they assume they can no longer have sugar, but this is a false assumption. Their body does, in fact, still need sugar to supply their cells with the energy it needs to do their job. The difference between diabetics and non-diabetics is in how their body processes the sugar that is consumes. Being aware of how your body processes the sugar will help in finding the diabetic diet that is ideal for you.
Typically when someone eats food in a regular diet, the pancreas kicks in and starts to process the sugar. The pancreas starts producing enough insulin to match the amount of sugar that is consumed. The insulin provides an entry way for the sugar to enter the cells in the body. Once in the cells, it provides the body the energy it needs to operate.
In diabetics however, the pancreas and sugar behave differently. The sugar does not get into the bodies cells as it should. This is often why diabetics find themselves very lethargic, because the sugar isn't entering the cells that provide the energy. We will look at both types of diabetics, type 1 and type 2 and see how their body processes the sugar that is consumed.
Type 1 diabetics can not produce enough insulin to carry the sugar into their cells usually because their pancreas has stopped working. The sugar then runs amuck inside their body and causes great harm to the other organs. This is why they have to take insulin shots. The insulin shots perform the work that the pancreas can no longer carry out and helps the person to keep their body in good condition.
In a type 2 diabetic the pancreas produces enough insulin that the body needs, however, the insulin can not open the bodies calls so the sugar can get in. The sugar then start building up and the pancreas kicks in and starts producing more and more insulin and eventually burns out. Once it burns out, the person then advances to a type 1 diabetic and will be dependent on insulin shots to process the sugar.
All diabetics need to manage the sugar that enters their bodies. The difference comes into play in how the pancreas handles the sugar that distributed into the cells. Type 1 diabetics need an insulin shot when they eat to process the sugar because their pancreas can not work. Type 2 diabetics have a good chance at improving their pancreas function by watching their sugar intake and thus making their lives healthier.
So, it is vital that type 2 diabetics start managing their sugar intake so they can maintain a healthy body and lifestyle. One of the best ways to get your sugar intake down is to go on a diet, and this is where the term 'diabetic diet' came from. But do not let the term 'diet' scare you, you will not have to stop eating the food you love and you will not have to eat bland cardboard tasting foods. You can simply watch the amount of food you consume and try and substitute your foods with brands that have less sugar. One great example is jelly. Regular jelly has around 16 grams carbohydrates, which turns into sugar, and a reduced sugar jelly has around 6 grams carbohydrates. Just by switching to a jelly that contains less sugar, you will then be consuming less sugar and will be making your pancreas work less as well.
Yes, you need sugar in your daily eating lifestyle because that sugar provides the energy that your cells need in order to function. However, in a diabetic diet, you need to watch how much sugar you consume. One easy way to do this is read labels and choose a reduced sugar item that will still provide that same great taste but with less carbs. So, you can still enjoy eating your toast and jam in the morning with the same great taste only with fewer carbohydrates, which turns into sugar, and make less work for your pancreas.
About the Author Delynda Lardone provides information on how to live with diabetes, including guidelines on how to keep your blood sugar level low, in depth examination of many diabetic diet programs, and diabetic diet recipes which serves up to 6. To learn about having high sugar levels in system, please visit: diabetic diets.
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