Are Potatoes Bad For Diabetics

Five Diabetes Myths, Busted

David Kendall, M.D., is the chief scientific and medical officer of the The American Diabetes Association. The group’s 71st Scientific Sessions begin Friday in San Diego, California, with presentations of the latest research, treatment recommendations and advances toward a cure for diabetes. Each year diabetes accounts for more deaths than breast cancer and AIDS combined. While diabetes (both type 1 and type 2) is ever more manageable because of advances in medication, a better understanding of blood glucose monitoring and new technologies for delivering insulin, uncontrolled or undiagnosed diabetes still remains the leading cause of blindness in adults, kidney failure and amputation. There are many myths about diabetes - myths that can do much harm. Many believe that diabetes is “just a touch of sugar,” or only something we develop in later life. Although diabetes is manageable, the diabetes epidemic continues to grow; every 17 seconds someone is diagnosed with diabetes and at the current rate, one in three people in the U.S. will have diabetes by the year 2050. Knowing the facts (and your own risk) can help all of us fight the misconceptions associated with this awful disease and ultimately stop diabetes. So take a minute to learn the facts about diabetes. The more we know, the better equipped we are to detect, prevent and treat diabetes and its deadly complications. 1) Myth: Diabetes is really no big deal. Fact: As I’ve already noted, diabetes causes more deaths a year than breast cancer and AIDS combined. The risk of heart problems is more than twice as high in people with diabetes and two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke. Uncontrolled diabetes also leads to a host of other complications. 2) Myth: Eating too much sugar cause Continue reading >>

Are Sweet Potatoes Ok For Diabetics

You might determine to make much more than simply a holiday side dish after checking out the advantages of sweet potatoes. Though all of biggest nutrient in the sweet potatoes is the carbohydrate, the sweet potatoes are also great sources of beta carotene, vitamin A, fiber, vitamin B6 and vitamin C, as well as despite primarily being carbohydrate, lots of studies have shown that they also can help lower insulin resistance and stabilize your blood sugar levels. Sweet potatoes come with a lower glycemic index rating and are high in fiber. However it is some other factors which could explain its unique blood sugar lowering effects. You should know that adiponectin is the protein hormone produced by your fat cells. And diabetics tend to come with lower levels of the adiponectin, but the sweet potato extracts actually have been proven to greatly increase adiponectin levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Some studies have proven that phytonutients in a sweet potato could help lower your potential health risks posed by free radicals and heavy metals. This is useful not only for anyone who desires to lower the potential risks posed by the heavy metals residues like mercury in the diet but also for digestive tract issues such as ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome. Research has shown that phytonutients in a sweet potato can surely reduce markers of inflammation. Generally, a sweet potato with darker orange flesh packs more nutrients than a sweet potato with lighter flesh. A potato offers around 0 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber, 22 grams of carbohydrate and 2 grams of protein. Plus notable: a sweet potato offers 28% of vitamin C, 12.5% of vitamin B6 and 260% of day-to-day recommended intake of vitamin A. sweet potato and blood sugar Don’t judge a food just by its n Continue reading >>

Starch And Root Vegetables And Diabetes

There are a whole range of root vegetables and most of them are also starches – a type of carbohydrate. Basically, some plants store glucose as starch – giant chains of sugars. So when it comes to root vegetables and starches, are they safe for type 2 diabetics to eat or not? Well, let's dig in and explore the facts. Root Vegetables Nutrition Facts As you can see the veggies from swede up are relatively low in carbs, while the ones downwards are high in carbs – potatoes being the highest. Glycemic Index of Root Veggies Glymeic index (GI) is a valid measure for higher carb foods but just remember the amount of carbs you eat is the most important thing that influences blood sugar and A1C. GI is a measure of how fast different food affects blood sugar levels. Anything below 55 is considered a low GI and anything above that is considered high GI. The lower the GI the better it's going to be for you if you're diabetic, the higher…well the worse it is. Health Hubs sums it up well: “Root vegetables and tubers are relatively concentrated sources of sugars and starches and tend to contain only small amounts of fiber. This can be problematic for diabetics because they can produce a large glycemic response in situations when they are not combined with high fiber foods…The lowest GI vegetables are yams, carrots and sweet potatoes with GI values of 38, 47 and 55 respectively. High GI root vegetables include potatoes (GI of 60-90), parsnip (97), rutabaga (71), and beets (65).” As you can see, yams and carrots are really your best 2 options here, followed by a small amount of sweet potato on the odd occasion. BUT, that's only when it comes to GI levels – you still have to keep the amount of carbs in mind. If you eat raw carrots it lowers their GI even more, down to jus Continue reading >>

> Carbohydrates And Diabetes

Keeping your blood sugar levels on track means watching what you eat, plus taking medicines like insulin if you need to. Your doctor may also have mentioned that you should keep track of how many carbohydrates (carbs) you eat. But what exactly are carbohydrates and how do they affect your blood sugar? The foods we eat contain nutrients that provide energy and other things the body needs, and one of these is carbohydrates. The two main forms of carbohydrates are: sugars such as fructose, glucose, and lactose starches, which are found in foods such as starchy vegetables (like potatoes or corn), grains, rice, breads, and cereals The body breaks down or converts most carbohydrates into the sugar glucose. Glucose is absorbed into the bloodstream, and with the help of a hormone called insulin it travels into the cells of the body where it can be used for energy. People with diabetes have problems with insulin that can cause blood sugar levels to rise. For people with type 1 diabetes, the pancreas loses the ability to make insulin. For people with type 2 diabetes, the body can't respond normally to the insulin that is made. Because the body turns carbohydrates into glucose, eating carbohydrates makes blood sugar levels rise. But that doesn't mean you should avoid carbohydrates if you have diabetes. Carbohydrates are a healthy and important part of a nutritious diet. Some carbohydrates have more health benefits than others, though. For example, whole-grain foods and fruits are healthier choices than candy and soda because they provide fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients. Fiber is important because it helps you feel full and keeps your digestive system working properly. In fact, eating lots of fiber can even help to slow the body's absorption of sugar when eaten together with s Continue reading >>

Preventing Pre-diabetes

Pre-diabetes is a serious medical condition that puts you at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Pre-diabetes is also very treatable, and if you have it, there is a good chance you can prevent or delay type 2 diabetes by making changes in your diet and increasing your level of physical activity. Type 2 Diabetes Type 2 diabetes occurs when your body does not produce or use enough insulin to be able to turn glucose into energy. Glucose is the sugar and starch that comes from the food you eat, which fuels your body. Insulin is a hormone that carries glucose from your blood into your cells. Without enough insulin, sugar builds up in your blood and can cause serious health problems. Pre-Diabetes Pre-diabetes is when your fasting blood glucose (blood sugar) level is above normal. To test for pre-diabetes, your doctor will take a sample of your blood after you have fasted overnight: Normal fasting glucose: 60 to 99 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl) Pre-diabetes (impaired fasting glucose): 100 to 125 mg/dl Diabetes: 126 mg/dl or higher on 2 occasions Healthy Tips for Preventing Type 2 Diabetes If you have pre-diabetes, you should talk to your doctor about developing a lifestyle plan to reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends increased physical activity and, if you are overweight, losing 5-10 percent of your body weight. Your doctor may also want you to take medication if you have a family history of diabetes, you are obese, or have other cardiovascular risk factors (high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, or a history of heart disease). Below are tips to help you keep pre-diabetes from progressing to Type 2 diabetes: Exercise Every Day Since muscles use glucose for energy, activities like walking, bicycling, and gardening Continue reading >>

Diabetes

What is diabetes? When a food containing carbohydrate is eaten, your body digests the carbohydrate into sugar (called glucose), which can then be used as energy by the cells in your body. Diabetes is a condition where your body can’t properly control the amount of glucose in your blood. A hormone called insulin is needed for transferring glucose from the bloodstream to enter the body cells and be converted to energy. In people with diabetes, blood glucose levels are often higher than normal because either the body does not produce insulin (type 1 diabetes) or cannot use insulin properly (type 2 diabetes). High levels of glucose in the bloodstream can lead to short term complications such as: passing large amounts of urine being extremely thirsty and drinking lots of fluids being tired having blurred vision having frequent skin infections and being slow to heal Blood glucose levels are normally between about 4.0 and 8.0 mmol/L. People with diabetes should aim for blood glucose levels as near to normal as possible, but individual targets should always be discussed with your diabetes health care professional. Controlling diabetes is important to prevent serious long term complications such as: heart and circulation problems infections kidney disease eye problems, which can lead to blindness nerve damage to the lower limbs and other parts of the body Types of diabetes There are three types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes Type 1 diabetes affects less than 1% of all Australians. It can appear at any age, but most commonly in childhood and early adult life. People with type 1 diabetes cannot produce enough insulin, and therefore they must inject themselves with insulin several times a day. Type 2 diabetes Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes, affecting 7.1 % of a Continue reading >>

The Big Secret About Sweet Potatoes That Nobody Wants You To Know

You and I have been lied to. I don’t know why, and I don’t even know if it’s on purpose, but it pisses me off. And here’s why I’m annoyed… As of 2014, 29 MILLION people in the US had Diabetes (type 2), and 86 MILLION people were pre-diabetic. That’s over 105 MILLION people who have problems with insulin sensitivity and blood sugar. And my dad and my mother-in-law fall into those categories – my dad’s been type 2 diabetic for over a decade, and my mother-in-law has been pre-diabetic for about the same amount of time. So this particular issue hits very close to home (literally) for me – and presumably for almost anybody in the US, since you almost certainly know a few people who are at least pre-diabetic. The Myth About Sweet Potatoes… Everyone (from doctors, to medical researchers, to even the American Diabetes Association) seems to unanimously state that sweet potatoes are unequivocally great for diabetics (please note that when I mention diabetes in this article, I’m referring to type 2 diabetes). If you don’t believe me, here are just a few examples: And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Even on websites that supposedly pay attention to blood-sugar and glycemic load issues, sweet potatoes are almost always classified as a “better” food than things like white potatoes. Unfortunately…It’s All Completely Untrue! Listen. I’m not bashing sweet potatoes. Entire cultures have lived very healthily on sweet potatoes. I eat sweet potatoes myself. But I also have pretty good insulin sensitivity. It’s like this. Fish is pretty darn nutritious, and almost everybody agrees. But if you’re allergic to fish, you shouldn’t be eating it. It’s pretty simple. So the question is whether sweet potatoes are a problem for people with blood sugar Continue reading >>

Top 10 Dangerous Foods To Be Avoided By Diabetic Patients

Diabetes or diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease in which the patient suffers from the high level of glucose in the blood. High blood sugar level is caused either due to lack of insulin production by beta cells of the pancreas that is also known as type 1 diabetes or due to insulin resistance in which the body cells fail to utilize the insulin produced by the pancreas that is known as type 2 diabetes. There are numerous natural remedies for diabetes and 10 foods diabetics should avoid, which when combined with a healthy lifestyle can help in controlling and maintain blood sugar at healthy levels. Symptoms of Diabetes There are a wide range of symptoms for diabetes, but the most common ones are as follows: Extreme thirst Excessive hunger Frequent urination Weight loss Dry, itchy skin Slower healing of bruises and cuts Blurred vision Lack of energy Tingling or numbness in the hands or feet Foods that should be avoided by People Suffering from Diabetes The most important factor that affects both type 1 and type 2 diabetes is diet, and a well-planned diet can work effectively in maintaining blood glucose at healthy levels. Here we have a list of 10 foods diabetics should avoid. White Bread The most effective way to control diabetes is through a well-planned diabetic diet and people suffering from diabetes must always be careful about what they eat. One of the most dangerous foods for diabetics is refined starch. Refined starch is found in any food that is made from white flour such as white bread, white flour pasta, etc. These refined carbohydrates have a high glycemic index that causes a rapid rise in blood sugar levels, which is extremely harmful to diabetic patients. It is best to opt for whole grains and barn cereals like oatmeal that are rich in fiber. Thes Continue reading >>

How I Reversed My Diabetes Eating Potatoes

IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS AN ARMENIAN AND A PIZZA... I have been in the food business since I can remember. My first stab at it was at Rico's pizza in San Jose, California when I was 14. As an Armenian kid I was told that I qualified for a job there just by being Armenian. I was super nervous when I approached the owner for a job. "I heard that if you are Armenian you can get a job here." The response? "When can you start?" Thus a life long career in the food business was born. The last 15 years have been spent in the natural foods industry and of the last 11 they have been almost obsessively focused on selling cheese, wine, beer, chocolate...you know, the good stuff that everybody wants and nobody needs! Halloween with cheese After many years of climbing the company ladder in the world of cheese and living a somewhat sedentary lifestyle of VERY rich food indulgence I found myself extremely obese (by medical definition), with the triple threat of lifestyle induced diseases. Diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. I tried to follow the doctors orders...kind of... and after about 7 years of getting progressively worse I was on the verge of being prescribed daily insulin injections. Mind you I was already on 4 drugs at this point. For me that was a wake up call. I ain't stickin' needles in me! My employer offered a health immersion program for those of us that qualified. The way it works is that you go live at a facility for a week, eat healthy food, exercise, and learn about proper nutrition. More on that in a minute. Being the stubborn person that I am I decided I could do this on my own. I bought a vegan diet based book on how to reverse diabetes and I followed the plan for a month. My numbers drastically improved. I lost a little weight but my month long Continue reading >>

Problem Foods: Can Diabetics Eat Potatoes?

Can people with diabetes eat potatoes? The answer is yes, and even more resounding when you have some info in your back pocket. Potatoes come in every form imaginable—from chips to potato salad, from fries to baked potatoes with butter and sour cream. Some forms are obviously more nutritious than others. And all can have varying effects on blood sugar. Here are some recommendations: Sweet potatoes and yams are good choices on the potato spectrum as they have a lower glycemic index and glycemic load than a regular baked russet potato, therefore affecting blood glucose less. Small red potatoes with the skin can also be a good choice. The skin provides fiber, which slows digestion and absorption. And small, whole potatoes may be easier to portion control. Serve a few on your plate as opposed to a whole baked potato or scoop of mashed potatoes. Try to limit fried potatoes and potato chips, choosing roasted, baked or broiled instead. Be aware of portion size. The plate method is an easy way to manage this: about ¼ of your plate should come from starchy foods and only the depth of a deck of cards. It might not be the potato itself wreaking havoc on blood sugar, but instead the portion of potatoes if it is more than about ¾ to 1 cup. Many, many years ago, nurses, dietitians, and diabetes educators were instructed to teach their patients with diabetes to eat certain foods and not eat others. But in more modern times, the belief and teaching method is based on making healthy food choices, understanding portion sizes, and learning the best times to eat in order to manage diabetes. This method of not having to eliminate foods from the diet is supported by the American Diabetes Association and the American Association of Diabetes Educators. Blood glucose control and food choice Continue reading >>

The 10 Best Carbs For Diabetics

Forget what you've been told—a diabetes diagnosis does not mean you've been sentenced to a life without carbs. Well, doughnuts may be off the list, but the right carbs can and should be part of a balanced diet for everyone, explains Anna Taylor, RD, a registered dietitian at Cleveland Clinic. In fact, for those with (type 1 or 2) diabetes, getting enough good-for-you carbs is essential for keeping blood sugar levels under control. The key is to pick carb-containing foods that are also rich in fiber and/or protein, nutrients that actually slow the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates, resulting in a more gradual rise and fall of blood sugar levels. Here are Taylor's top 10 diabetes-friendly carb picks, all of which pack additional nutrients that can help prevent chronic conditions or diabetes complications down the line. Lentils and Beans gettyimages-84763023-lentils-zenshui-laurence-mouton.jpg Lentils and beans are excellent sources of protein and fiber. The 19 grams of carbs from a half cup serving of cooked lentils come with 9 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber (3 grams per serving is considered a "good" source of fiber; 5 and up is considered an "excellent" source, per FDA guidelines). One thing to note: You get the same benefits from canned beans as you do from cooked, dried beans—but you may want to rinse them first, which can eliminate more than 40% of the sodium. (Diabetes doesn't have to be your fate; Rodale's new book, The Natural Way To Beat Diabetes, shows you exactly what to eat and do to prevent the disease—and even reverse it.) Peas Black-eyed, split, and classic green peas have protein and fiber benefits similar to those of beans and lentils. One cup of green peas (before cooking) packs 8 grams of protein, 7 grams of fiber, and 21 grams of c Continue reading >>

Diabetes Diet: This Popular Carb Could Help Manage Type 2 Symptoms

Diabetes sufferers have to be careful what they consume in their diet in order to manage symptoms such as excessive thirst and hunger, fatigue and blurry vision. This is because certain foods can cause blood sugar levels to spike - dangerous for diabetics who’s bodies struggle to deal with sugar in the bloodstream properly. While patients can enjoy sugary foods in moderation and sparingly, there is a sweet-tasting vegetable that could help steady blood sugar levels. Despite its name, sweet potatoes are considered to be perfectly safe - and even beneficial - for diabetics to consume. Low GI foods - such as sweet potato - have less of an immediate effect on blood glucose levels, meaning they are suitable for type 2 diabetes sufferers. They are high in fibre and have a low glycaemic index. The glycaemic index - commonly shortened to GI - measures how carbohydrates influence blood sugar. Low GI foods - meaning they have a GI of 55 or lower - have less of an immediate effect on blood glucose levels. With a GI of 44, sweet potatoes are an ideal food for diabetics to fuel up on. Can you live a normal life with diabetes? Wed, June 21, 2017 Living with diabetes - ten top tips to live normally with the condition. Other low GI carbohydrates include wholemeal bread, lentils, beans and vegetables. However, high GI foods diabetics should be wary of are white potatoes, white bread and white rice. The fibrous nature of sweet potatoes also helps keep blood sugars level. Much of this comes from the vegetable’s skins, so it is suggested that people leave the skins on when cooking. Additionally sautéeing sweet potatoes in an oil - with the skins on - is the best cooking method for avoiding any change to its low GI state. This is because fat slows the rate of digestion and maintains a Continue reading >>

Are Sweet Potatoes Good For Diabetics?

Diabetics have to keep a close eye on their diets, in order to manage carbohydrates and limit their impact on blood glucose and insulin levels. That means high-carbohydrate foods can be problematic, but some, such as sweet potatoes, offer substantial nutritional benefits to offset their impact on blood sugar. Deciding how much or how often you can consume them is an individual decision, but sweet potatoes can certainly find a place in a diabetic meal plan. Carbs in Sweet Potatoes Any discussion of food and diabetes management should begin with the American Diabetes Association's recommendation, which is to count the grams of carbohydrates you eat in a day. The number of carbs you need is calculated based on your body weight and activity levels, but as a rule the ADA suggests aiming for a range of 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal, although some people may require fewer for optimal blood sugar control. By that reckoning, sweet potatoes pose a challenge: One large baked sweet potato provides over 37 grams of carbs, which represents most of your allowance for that meal. By that measure, incorporating a sweet potato can sharply limit what else goes onto your plate. It's Not as Bad as it Looks That being said, there are a couple of reasons sweet potatoes might not throw your meal plan off balance. First, a large sweet potato is a substantial quantity, and if you're diabetic your meal plan probably calls for a serving of no more than 1/3 cup mashed or one small potato. This brings down your total carbohydrates to a much more manageable 12 grams for a small baked sweet potato, or a shade over 19 grams for 1/3 cup boiled, mashed sweet potato. Those figures are still high, but easier to incorporate into your daily total. Also, a large portion of those total carbohydrates Continue reading >>

Diet Tips For People With Diabetes And Kidney Disease

Diet is one of the most important treatments in managing diabetes and kidney disease. If you’ve been diagnosed with kidney disease as a result of diabetes, you’ll need to work with a dietitian to create an eating plan that’s right for you. This plan will help manage your blood glucose levels and reduce the amount of waste and fluid your kidneys process. Which nutrients do I need to regulate? Your dietitian will give you nutritional guidelines that tell you how much protein, fat and carbohydrate you can eat, as well as how much potassium, phosphorus and sodium you can have each day. Because your diet needs to be lower in these minerals, you’ll limit or avoid certain foods, while planning your meals. Portion control is also important. Talk to your dietitian regarding tips for accurately measuring a serving size. What may be measured as one serving on a regular diet may count as three servings on the kidney diet. Your doctor and dietitian will also recommend you eat meals and snacks of the same size and calorie/carbohydrate content at certain times of the day to keep your blood glucose at an even level. .It’s important to check blood glucose levels often and share the results with your doctor. What can I eat? Below is an example of food choices that are usually recommended on a typical renal diabetic diet. This list is based on sodium, potassium, phosphorus and high sugar content of foods included. Ask your dietitian if you can have any of these listed foods and make sure you know what the recommended serving size should be. Carbohydrate Foods Milk and nondairy Recommended Avoid Skim or fat-free milk, non-dairy creamer, plain yogurt, sugar-free yogurt, sugar-free pudding, sugar-free ice cream, sugar-free nondairy frozen desserts* *Portions of dairy products are o Continue reading >>

9 Foods On The “no” List For Diabetics

Photo: Freebase/Public domain Most people with diabetes know that they should avoid sugar, but you also need to be on the look out for carbohydrates and alcohol, which also raise your blood sugar. Below is a list of a few items to avoid if you are living with diabetes. Here’s a basic tip about eating with diabetes: if it’s white, it’s probably laden with carbs, and not something a diabetic should eat. There are now a number of high quality foods available for patients with diabetes, and most can be found in regular grocery stores. Working with a good nutritionist and your doctor can help you come up with a list of foods you can regularly eat, and those that should be saved for special occassions. This category includes bread, bagels, buns, crackers and traditional pretzels, since they're all based on white flour. Processed flour turns quickly to glucose and can spike blood sugar. What are your options? Whole wheat or pumpernickel bread are much lower on the glycemic index. TV15 people have voted onThe Best Sci-fi Shows Since 2015Too Faced falling to #6The Best Cosmetic Brands French fries and mashed potatoes are loaded with saturated fat, sodium, and calories. They also have a large amount of carbohydrates. Try sweet potatoes for a healthier option. Cookies, cakes, doughnuts, pies, muffins should all be avoided due to their high saturated fat content and sugar. Store bought cookies and cake mixes are two of the biggest sources of trans-fats, and won't satiatie your hunger the way a balanced breakfast will. Failed Actress Peg Entwistle Commits Suicide by Jumping from the Hollywood Sign falling to #14Old Celebrity Scandals the Media Would Freak Over TodayBoston cream pie falling to #13The Most Delicious Pies Rice is a starchy food with high amounts of carbohydrates. Continue reading >>