World Diabetes Day is earmarked for November 14 ever year, to honour the birthday of renowned Canadian scientist and Nobel laureate, Sir Frederick Banting. He, along with two other prominent researchers, American-Canadian Charles Best and Scottish biochemist John James Rickard Macleod, are credited with the discovery of insulin in 1922. This global health campaign was inaugurated in the year 1991, by the collaborated efforts of the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), to address the alarming number of diabetes cases around the world. The chief objective of this wellness crusade is to inculcate knowledge about diabetes amongst the general public, as well as facts regarding the prevention and treatment of this non-communicable yet chronic ailment.
Also Read: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Currently, in its 30th year of spreading awareness about the dangers of high blood sugar levels, the theme of World Diabetes Day 2020 is “The Nurse And Diabetes”, focusing on the central role of nurses in providing proper care to patients affected by diabetes. It also stresses increasing education and training provided to nurses across the globe in being ideal caregivers for chronic diabetics, as the number of people with diabetes is rising at a rapid pace every year. While healthcare providers and nurses administer pertinent treatment in the form of prescription medications and insulin injections to patients, they also emphasize the importance of adhering to a moderately restricted, healthy, wholesome diet, in preventing sudden spikes in blood sugar.
Since diabetes arises in individuals owing to defects in the function of the pancreas, and failure of insulin to metabolize glucose, eventually leading to high blood sugar levels, the key to managing the condition lies in eating a proper, wholesome diet. While the popular notion is that a low-carb diet is recommended to cure diabetes symptoms since the sugars cannot be processed in the body, not all forms of carbohydrates are bad, be it for weight loss purposes or diabetic diets. What this implies is decreasing sugar, and starch forms of carb levels in food, while taking in more fiber-rich dietary sources – fibres also being a type of carbohydrate. The important factor is to monitor the types of carbohydrates, along with the amount being consumed, as part of the daily diet. It is hence crucial to understand what are the different kinds of carbohydrates in food – sugars, fibres, starches, and how healthy they are, as well as how much of each to ingest for overall well-being and keeping diabetes in check. Read on, to know more about foods rich in sugars, fibres, and starches, as well as foods to avoid, for effectively lowering blood sugar levels and alleviating all discomforting indications of diabetes.
The Different Types Of Carbohydrates In Food:
Carbohydrates are defined as organic chemical molecules that carry single, double or multiple sugars i.e. saccharide components. Three distinct types of carbohydrates exist in the food we eat, namely sugars, starches, and fibres.
Sugars
Sugars are simple carbohydrates with merely one or two saccharide molecules and generally have a very sweet taste. Upon consuming sugars, blood glucose levels rise promptly, which in turn stimulates insulin production and release from the pancreas, to convert glucose to energy.
Since in diabetes, the insulin mechanism and pancreas function are hampered, people with the condition must avoid consuming high amounts of simple sugars as part of their daily diet. These include foods like white sugar, packaged juices, processed foods of pastries and desserts like cakes, pudding and pre-packaged sweetened yoghurt, milk, breakfast cereals.
Starches
Starches are complex carbohydrates that are made up of several saccharide units, with a characteristic mild or neutral flavour. Just like sugars, starches are also broken down by digestive enzymes into glucose, which then enters the bloodstream and triggers insulin production. Insulin then facilitates the uptake of glucose by cells.
As diabetics have compromised insulin synthesis and pancreatic operations, they must keep in mind to limit the daily consumption of starchy foods like potatoes, winter squash, and sweet potato, besides packaged, highly sweetened pasta, and bread.
Fibres
Fibres are also a type of complex carbohydrate that is composed of numerous saccharide molecules in each unit. However, as far as diabetes is concerned, while sugars and starches are considered the “bad carbohydrates” fibres, on the other hand, are the “good carbohydrates”. This is because Insoluble fibres pass through the digestive tract without being broken down, whereas Soluble fibres do partially break down in the gut, forming short-chain fatty acids, but they don’t significantly impact blood glucose. They however remain undigested, and pass through the stomach and intestine, promoting digestion and aiding in smooth bowel movements.
Although a low-carb diet is advised for diabetics, they are still told to consume ample fibre, since they do not raise blood glucose levels in the body. Fiber-rich foods include most vegetables, and fruits, but opt for fruits with a low glycemic index. Also, nuts, seeds, legumes, peas, beans, and whole grains like oats, and barley are all ideal fiber-rich foods for a diabetic diet.
Also Check Out: 5 Fruits Low On Glycemic Index That Are Good For Diabetics-Infographic
