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Diabetes FAQ
1. Why do I need to see a dietitian?
Registered dietitians (RDs) have training and expertise in how the body uses food. RDs who understand diabetes can teach you how the food you eat changes your blood glucose level and how to coordinate your diabetes medications and eating. Your dietitian will work with you to create a healthy eating plan that includes your favorite foods.
2. Can I eat foods with sugar in them?
For almost every person with diabetes, the answer is yes. Eating a piece of cake made with sugar will raise your blood glucose level. So will eating corn on the cob, a tomato sandwich, or lima beans. People with diabetes can and do eat sugar. With sugary foods, the rule is moderation. Eat too much, and you'll send your blood glucose level up higher than you expected, fill up too soon and gain weight. So don't pass up a slice of birthday cake. Instead, eat a little less bread or potato, and replace it with the cake. Taking a brisk walk to burn some calories is also always helpful.
3. Why does losing weight help my diabetes?
Weight loss helps people with diabetes in two important ways.
- It lowers insulin resistance. This allows your natural insulin (in people with type 2 diabetes) to do a better job lowering blood glucose levels. If you take a diabetes medicine, losing weight lowers blood glucose and may allow you to reduce the amount you're taking, or quit taking it altogether.
- It improves blood fat and blood pressure levels. People with diabetes are about twice as likely to get cardiovascular disease as most people. Lowering blood fats and blood pressure is a way to reduce that risk.
4. How can I cut the fat in my diet?
Here are some few beginning tips -- for best results, consult a licensed dietitian:
- Stir-fry foods in tiny amounts of oil and lots of seasonings - use Olive Oil
- Choose nonfat or low-fat selections, such as nonfat or 1% milk or low-fat cheese
- Keep portion sizes on target
- Avoid fried foods -- bake, grill, broil, or roast vegetables and meat instead
5. Are some fats better than others?
Monounsaturated fats are the healthiest for your body. Nuts -- like almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, and peanuts -- and avocados contain this type of fat. Choose olive or canola oil for cooking.
Polyunsaturated fat is the next healthiest fat. This is found in corn oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, and mayonnaise.
Use small amounts of foods that contain saturated fats like butter, lard and meat fat, bacon, and shortening. There are lower-fat versions of foods that contain saturated fats, like sour cream and cream cheese.
A healthy diet includes less than 30% of calories from fat, with less than 10% of these from saturated fat.
6. What foods can I eat a lot of?
The key to healthy living is moderation. Air-popped popcorn may be low in fat, but it still has calories. If you can control the portion sizes of the food you eat, you'll be able to eat a wider variety of foods, including your favorites, and still keep your blood sugar in your target range.
7. What can I do if I overeat over the holidays?
The short answer is exercise. Put on your walking shoes and head for the pavement or the treadmill. Being more active helps lower your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol. Physical activity uses up extra sugar in your blood and helps your insulin work better. You should be exercising regularly already!
8. Can I use low calorie sweeteners?
Low calorie sweeteners are safe for everyone except people with phenylketonuria (a genetic disorder that is characterized by an inability of the body to utilize the essential amino acid, phenylalanine.), who should not use aspartame. Calorie-free sweeteners like aspartame, saccharin, sucralose and acesulfame-K won't increase your blood glucose level. The sugar alcohols -- xylitol, mannitol, and sorbitol -- have some calories and do slightly increase your blood glucose level. Eating too much of any of these can cause gas and diarrhea becasue they tend to pass through the body quickly and aren't ansorbed in the digestive tract.
9. How much weight should I lose each week?
Limiting your weight loss to 1/2 to 1 pound a week will keep you healthy and still let you enjoy the foods you love in small amounts. A slow steady weight loss is the key to keeping lost weight off.
10. Can I drink alcohol?
Yes, in moderation. Moderation is defined as two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women. A drink is a 5-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce light beer, or 1-1/2 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits. Make sure that your medications don't require avoiding alcohol and get your doctor's approval.
11. Isn't glucose control easier if I eat the same things every day?
Probably, but this method isn't very nutritious or exciting. One of the keys to nutrition is eating a wide variety of foods. Check your blood glucose two hours (diabetes testing supplies) after starting to eat a meal to learn how different foods affect you. Over time, you'll be able to predict how different foods affect your blood glucose level.
12. What vitamins will help my diabetes?
A vitamin or mineral deficiency could be cause problems with your glucose control. one study found that taking the trace element chromium improved glucose control in subjects who had a chromium deficiency. If you choose a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, and meat each day, and keep your blood sugar close to your target range, you probably don't need to take vitamin supplements.
13. Are there herbs that will help my diabetes?
Many herbs supposedly have glucose-lowering effects, but there's not enough data on any herb to recommend it. Herbs are not considered food by the Food and Drug Administration and aren't tested for quality or content. Herbal products can be promoted as helping health conditions without having to show proof that they aqctually work. Discuss the herbal supplements with your doctor or dietitian before trying them.
More Resources
American Diabetes Association
WebMD Diabetes Health Center
Diabetes Treatment
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