hamburger icon
A
Read in Hindi

Diabetes Tip of the Day #4 – Sugar is also necessary for you

Sugar is always blamed for elevated blood sugar levels in diabetic. But this food item also has its importance and is necessary. know why you need this despite being a diabetic.

WrittenBy

Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : July 24, 2014 11:27 AM IST

Diabetes can have sugar

When it comes to diabetes, there is a misconception that only artificial sugar intake, in any form, elevates blood sugar levels in the body. But the fact is that even carbohydrate-rich foods break down into simple sugars once consumed. Both sugar and carbohydrates are permissible and necessary for diabetics. The idea is to manage your food intake well and utilize the sugar in your body effectively to convert it into energy, which will help to keep your blood sugar levels in control. Remember, sugar is important for your body, as it is the prime source of energy for your brain and the muscles. Also find out how garlic can help in controlling blood sugar levels.

When managing diabetes, it is important to keep in mind that more than curbing sugar it is necessary for you to keep a tab on your caloric intake through carbohydrates, added sugars and other food sources like proteins and fats. Don't forget that your regular foods like rice, pulses; cereals, fruits, vegetables, milk, and yoghurt all are rich in carbohydrates. These foods would breakdown into simple sugars in the body, but they would also provide you with other nutrients like vitamins, minerals and fibre that are essential for the proper functioning of the body. If you add artificial sugar in your diet through any other medium this will definitely increase the sugar levels in your body. Also read about the three important tests that all diabetes should know.

What you can do:

  • Limit your intake of artificial sugar. The recommended dose for white sugar is five to 10 gm per day. Which means you can safely add two spoons of sugar in your tea or coffee. But if you prefer to have two cups, add one spoon to each.
  • The days when you cheat with sweets and have an extra piece of gulab jamum or relish some chocolates (don't overdo it though) try and cut down on your carbohydrate intake to keep the total calories in check. For example, skip rice from your diet and have multigrain rotis instead, which would be a decent diet arrangement to maintain optimum calorie intake. Also read how diet changes can keep type 2 diabetes in check.
  • The normal daily intake of carbohydrates for a diabetic is four to six grams per kilo of body weight. Plan your food intake to get adequate amounts of the same to fuel your body and be in a healthy state.
  • Exercise to convert all that sugar into energy. No matter how meticulously you plan your diet. Inability of the body to metabolise all that sugar present in the body gives rise to high blood sugar levels. Exercise is the safest way to boost your metabolism for the same.

Always check with your doctor though, before you make any dietary changes, as the condition presents itself differently with different individuals.

Reference:

Conquest of Diabetes by Diet and Exercise written by Hemraj B Chandalia and Sonal V Modi

You may also like to read:

For more on diabetes, check out our diabetes section and Diabetes page. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.