Nutrition Recommendations for Diabetes Patients

Drawing attention to the fact that nutrition stands in a very important place in the follow-up of diabetes, which is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world, Specialist Dietician Buket Ertaş Sefer pointed out that the applications made by being heard from the environment will bring more harm than benefit and may negatively affect the treatment.

Yeditepe University Hospitals Nutrition and Diet Specialist Buket Ertaş Sefer: 'There is no collective diet that can be applied to everyone. Every diet should be personalized. There is no need to eat only foods that are harmful to health in order to increase blood sugar. If you do not consume them in the same way, the healthiest food in the world can also increase your blood sugar."

In particular, dietician draws attention to the nutritional mistakes made by people with diabetes or prediabetes thinking that they are healthy or correct. Buket Ertaş Sefer gave the following information on the subject:

“Whole wheat or dietary products do not raise my sugar!”

FACT:

 Wholegrain products contain more pulp than normal products, and pulp is a type of carbohydrate (cho) that plays an important role in balancing blood sugar. Excessive consumption of whole wheat products will both raise blood sugar and make you gain weight. Dietician Sefer: “Dietary products described as light are often fat-reduced options and provide energy. Therefore, when these products are consumed in excess portions, they can cause weight gain as well as increase blood sugar."

“Sweets made from natural fruit without added sugar will not harm!”

FACT:

 Excess fructose, that is, fruit sugar consumption, may increase the risk of imbalances in blood sugar, predisposition to gestational diabetes, fatty liver, and thickening of the umbilical region. Dietician Buket Ertaş Sefer gave the following information on the subject:

“Undoubtedly, one of the most harmful components to the body is added sugar. It is a type of food that we do not want only for diabetes patients but also for healthy individuals. These days, when healthy living and healthy eating are popular, sweets without added sugar are on the agenda. Consuming these recipes instead of sugary desserts was a logical and healthy transformation. However, it was forgotten that these products also have calories and naturally contain fructose. Excess fructose, that is, when fruit sugar is consumed, increases the risk of imbalances in blood sugar, predisposition to gestational diabetes, fattening of the liver, and thickening of the umbilical region. So yes, it is very healthy not to consume added sugar, but that does not mean we can consume unlimited natural fruit sugar.”

“If I do not eat carbs, my blood sugar will not go up!”

FACT:

Every person, whether they have diabetes or not, needs quality carbohydrates. “In general, complex carbohydrates, which do not raise blood sugar rapidly and are at the forefront of nutrition, are the general definition of what we call healthy carbohydrates. Varieties of legumes, whole wheat, rye, einkorn, buckwheat, such as bread and derivatives made of quality flours, bulgur. These are the sources of carbohydrates we need in our lives.” Of course, if portion control is not performed in these foods, the effect on blood sugar may be negative. Dietician Sefer continued her words as follows: “Our blood sugar rises based on the amount of carbohydrates we take in, and our insulin levels serve as storage to lower our blood sugar. If the insulin we make or the oral antidiabetic medication we take is not enough to balance our sugar, blood sugar is high and other complications may develop in the long term. Bread has been seen as a food that should be completely not eaten for years. And most people still think so. In fact, completely eliminating this group, which contains a lot of vitamins and minerals, triggers more protein and fat consumption. Did you know that even when carbohydrates are not consumed, the body can produce glucose from other macroelements? Therefore, it should not be forgotten that protein sources such as meat, chicken, or fat sources such as nuts can also cause sugar to rise."

“Freshly squeezed fruit juices do not harm diabetics!”

FACT:

The pulp in food plays a very important role in balancing blood sugar, and the more pulp a food has, the more it plays a role in regulating blood sugar. However, even if it is freshly squeezed, consuming fruit juice means both excessive fruit consumption and not being able to benefit from the pulp present in the fruit. Have you thought about how many oranges you squeeze for a glass of orange juice? Did you know that drinking calories can affect blood sugar more easily? Fruit juice undoubtedly saves lives in sugar drops and hypoglycemia risks. However, the probability of triggering hyperglycemia in routine life is quite high. It should also be remembered that foods that raise blood sugar suddenly cause sudden hypoglycemia.

“I can balance my blood sugar just by doing sports!“

FACT:

Doing sports is very important for blood sugar balance. The belief that you can eat more without paying attention to nutrition and even with the thought that you are doing sports is wrong. Especially those who experience high blood sugar levels indicate that a short walk after a meal has a significant effect on blood sugar. But without attention to diet, it is never possible to achieve success. The intake of Cho and calories should be followed.”

“Refreshment is a must for every patient!”

FACT:

“If the patient's clinical condition supports him/her to eat a lot, it should be planned in this way. However, most diabetics have already entered this cycle because they snack too much and eat unnecessary calories. Therefore, if you are not at risk of hypoglycemia, it is useful to reduce the number of meals under the control of a dietitian and physician. It is known that mild hunger positively affects treatment, especially in patients with insulin resistance and thick waist circumference."

“You are free to eat sourish fruit!”

FACT:

If sour fruits, which are thought to be low in sugar, are eaten more than necessary, they may cause quite negative conditions for blood sugar. Buket Ertaş Sefer gave the following information on the subject:

“Even if the fruits have a calorie difference, actually, the amount of carbohydrates they contain is considered equal on average. So, their effects on blood sugar are actually not different from each other. Therefore, if sour and sour fruits are consumed more than necessary, they will adversely affect blood sugar. This is where portion size comes in. It is best to be free by adjusting the amount. However, since dried fruits contain more sugar per volume, it should not be forgotten that they can raise blood sugar rapidly, and portion control should be done accordingly.”

“Healthy foods such as honey and molasses do not raise blood sugar”

FACT:

Although these products are beneficial for our health, they contain glucose and fructose. Buket Ertaş Sefer: “Unfortunately, honey contains glucose and fructose even if you find the most natural one. Although natural foods can benefit your health, they go up your blood sugar. In other words, it is wrong to think that useful things do not harm my blood sugar.”

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