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what does food have to do with preventing diabetes?

simply keeping track of your carb intake and taking a walk can make a big difference in your risk of developing diabetes.

by daniel neuman

jun 3 2022
read time 5 minute read
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what does food have to do with preventing diabetes?
there are several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors that can contribute to high blood sugars. getty
recent data estimates prediabetes affects 5.7 million canadians and 79 million u.s. adults. early diagnosis and lifestyle intervention, such as managing blood sugar through diet, are critical for preventing further health issues, like the development of type 2 diabetes. but even before that, it’s important to understand how what we put into our bodies affects our ..

what is blood sugar?

blood sugar refers to the glucose in your blood. blood sugar and blood glucose are the same, and our bodies will typically regulate blood sugars within a tight range. but when this regulation becomes compromised, blood sugars can exceed the normal range. we know when this happens through blood tests ordered by your doctor — the results of which can be used to diagnose prediabetes.

what is insulin?

insulin is a hormone produced by your pancreas in response to an increase in blood sugar levels. it is critical for transporting sugar from the blood to the cells of your body. a classic analogy is that insulin acts like a key to the cell, allowing the glucose to get out of the blood, and inside the cell for energy or storage.

what is prediabetes?

prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. this is a critical stage for dietary and lifestyle intervention.

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in prediabetes, either your body is not producing enough insulin, or the insulin is not working as well as it should. the latter is also known as insulin resistance. this metabolic defect will result in high blood sugars, which over time if not addressed, can lead to type 2 diabetes and the associated complications of small and large blood vessel damage.

what do carbs have to do with prediabetes?

when you eat carbohydrates, say, a slice of bread, you digest them into their smallest molecule — glucose, which is absorbed into the blood for transport to other areas of your body. it then becomes blood sugar. all carbohydrates from food, with the exception of fibre, will eventually be converted to blood sugar. carbohydrate-containing foods include: fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dairy, and added sugar. alcohol also contains carbohydrates in the form of ethanol.

how can we do prevent or manage high blood sugar?

there are several modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors that can contribute to high blood sugars. non-modifiable risk factors include age, genetics, ethnicity, and history of gestational diabetes — these are out of our control.
what is in our control are diet — the most important risk factor — and lifestyle.

how can nutrition help with blood sugar?

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there are ways you can manage the amounts, types, and timing of carbohydrates that will impact how your body manages blood sugar.

identify sources of carbohydrates. examples foods hat contain carbs are grains, fruits, starchy vegetables, nuts and seeds, dairy products, and simple sugars found in sweets and processed foods.

know the amount of carbohydrates you have at meals and snacks. a simple meal may have many sources of carbohydrates, so it’s important to quantify total amounts as you strive for balance. there are strategies, such as carbohydrate counting and reading nutrition labels, that can help you estimate portion sizes.

choose complex carbohydrates most often . complex carbohydrates are found in whole foods, and digest slower, allowing your body to process blood sugar more efficiently. simple carbohydrates, however, do not require much digestion and are absorbed quickly into the blood — they should be minimized or avoided altogether.

pair carbs with whole food sources of protein and fibre. protein and fibre are two nutrients that can slow down digestion of carbohydrates, resulting in a slower rise in blood sugar levels, and more efficient processing of blood sugar by your body. pair these nutrients to create balance in your meals and snacks. as a bonus, many carbohydrate containing foods, such as legumes, are also great sources of protein and fibre.

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modest weight reduction can help . findings from the diabetes prevention program study show that reducing body weight by just five to seven per cent and increasing physical activity to 150 minutes per week could reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in at-risk individuals.

there’s also physical activity and reading labels

physical activity can also help with blood sugar management by improving insulin sensitivity and helping your body’s insulin do its job better. even a light walk before or after supper can help it manage blood sugar more efficiently. physical activity can also help with weight management.
finally, knowing what’s in what you eat by reading nutrition labels and ingredient lists is important for the dietary management of high blood sugars. for example, there are many “hidden” names for simple sugars on ingredient lists, including: agave syrup, barley malt, brown rice syrup, corn syrup, honey, sucrose, lactose, fruit juice concentrate, dextrose, glucose, molasses, maple syrup, maltose and maltodextrins. with so many hidden names for sugars, choosing whole foods more often than processed is an easy strategy to reduce simple sugars in your diet.
carb counting tip: for nutrition fact reading, you must subtract fibre from total carbohydrates since fibre does not turn into blood sugar. in fact, it helps you regulate blood sugar increases by slowing digestion.

carb-counting or cutting carbs?

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you don’t need to eliminate carbohydrates from your diet. carbs are your body’s primary fuel source — in fact, it’s the preferred fuel source by your nervous system, and in physical activity. the key is to include complex carbohydrates from whole foods and limit processed, refined, and simple carbohydrates. it’s really about balance, variety, and moderation.

diabetes and chronic disease prevention

ultimately, the goal of nutrition education in prediabetes is to help control blood sugars. but the dietary and lifestyle recommendations associated with reducing risk of diabetes are very similar to those in weight management, as well as for the prevention of many other chronic diseases including obesity, heart disease, kidney disease, and cancer.
putting it all together as it relates to your diet and lifestyle can be challenging, but working with a registered dietitian or health-care provider experienced in blood sugar management can help make it easier.
 
 daniel neuman is a registered dietitian with preventous collaborative health.
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