First off, both of my parents have diabetes and so did my grandpa on my mom's side. So I feel like my risk is already high even if I eat a normal diet.Second, I'm a vegetarian, and since becoming one I've started eating a lot more fruit...and fruit is good but also contains a lot of sugar, doesn't it?
I've been trying to reduce my sugar intake and some of it was easy--for example, I don't eat dessert any more except for on occasion, when I go to a coffee place or Starbucks I'll just get a regular unsweetened coffee with milk instead of something fancy, I'm trying not to drink any more soda, I don't sweeten my tea any more, and I avoid drinking juice. But after doing research, there's sugar in seemingly EVERYTHING, including milk! I drink milk and eat cheese frequently, so I'm wondering if I should stop doing that.
It doesn't help that I live in college dorms and don't have access to a stove, so all of my food is the pre-packaged, processed stuff that they serve in the dining halls. I usually try to eat salad, with no dressing, for lunch and sometimes I do the same for dinner when there aren't many other healthy-looking options. For breakfast, when I go to the dining hall, I'll eat scrambled eggs.
Is there any other way I can reduce my sugar intake? Also, how else can I reduce my risk of diabetes?
Thanks
James - Splenda will do you wonders. Also the sugars in fruits is not as concentrated and will do you very little harm
ReplyDeleteHope I helped!
syl c. - I put a dash of salt and some milk in my coffee instead of sugar and it has greatly reduced my craving for sugar. Also, it might help to take acidophilus to cut back the Candida yeast in your body which makes you crave sugar.
ReplyDeleteAnother good sugar substitute is Stevia, it is an herb that can sweeten drinks without much, if any, calories. If you must use a sugar substitute, I think Splenda is good but Stevia is way better health wise.
As you look for foods to eat, try Polaner Fruit Jams made with fruit juice, not sugar. Also stay away from most cereals as they have loads of sugar. A good alternative is oatmeal or whole grain cereals but it is important not to put too much sugar in it to sweeten it.
As you eat less sugar, your cravings for it will lessen and you'll eat it less and less. But it might not be a good idea to totally eliminate it from your diet because you might binge on it later. Also, artificial sweeteners might actually increase your desire for something sweet. I know a lot of people addicted to diet Coke and Pepsi.
One friend has a piece of chocolate every day after dinner. She finds it a nice dessert and it keeps her from binging. As you find what works for you, keep your hopes up.
Reducing your risk of diabetes should include diet, which includes fruits and vegetables. There are some fruits that do not as much sugar content that can be included in your diet but then again, you can really eat any fruit as long as it is in moderation. The key is moderation and portion control. With these factors I don't feel like I'm on a "diet" so its less restrictive to my diet. Eating five or six small meals work for me and keeps my blood sugar levels stable, exercising even walking 3 times a week 30 min., add more protein, drink alot of water or Crystal light. So, portion control and moderation gives you more of a variety of the foods you can eat and still lose weight.
You do have the genetic makeup to become a diabetic but watching your diet as you are doing, exercising and living less stressed, taking vitamins will help you prevent walking down that path.
Hope this helps.
diginut - Just a note about fruit. Fruit is a good source of vitamin C, so it is good to eat in moderation. It is not a complex sugar and is more easily dispelled from the body. But, all things in moderation. I recommend you eat a healthy balanced diet that is low in complex sugars. Things like Shredded Wheat, Cheerios, to provide fiber and if you must drink soda, switch to diet. It tastes lousy at first, but after a few weeks it kills your taste buds (just kidding) and you don't notice it any more. Being a vegetarian you may be missing out on some vitamins and minerals you should have.So a good multivitamin should be on your menu daily.
ReplyDeleteTabea - You are right in that you are at increased risk of diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is strongly genetic. The more relatives you have with it, the higher your risk. The closer the relatives, the higher your risk.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, the strongest risk factors for diabetes are all unchangeable ones, like genetics, ethnic origin and age. That means that if you have strong enough diabetes genes, nothing you do or don't do will prevent diabetes. It is just not preventable. It is programmed into your genes, like the colour of your eyes and your hair.
Diabetes is about more than just sugar. It is a disease of carbohydrate metabolism. A person with diabetes (and probably a person with a genetic predisposition for diabetes) can't metabolize carbohydrate. ALL carbohydrate.
Once you start thinking about your food you will realize that virtually everything in the standard diet is high in carbs. And anything high in carbs is going to raise blood sugar. That means stuff like bread (even whole grain), rice (white or brown is the same), cereals, potatoes, corn and fruit will raise your blood sugar. And yes, even milk contains carbohydrate in the form of lactase. Though strangely enough, cheese is lower in carbs than milk and most people consider cheese a low carb food.
Most people think that a vegetarian diet high in fruits and vegetables is 'healthy'. But if it is also high in carbs, it's NOT healthy for a diabetic, as it will raise blood sugars.
Going low carb or lower carb as a vegetarian is hard but it can be done. Instead of filling up on starches (which will only raise blood sugar to unhealthy levels), eat protein and non-starchy vegetables. Eggs, cheese, beans, lentils, tofu, nuts, olives etc.
It could well be that nothing could prevent diabetes, if a person's genetics were strong enough. But eating low carb is being kind to your pancreas, so it doesn't have to work so hard, and that could certainly stave off diabetes onset for a good while. Eating low-carb is also a good diabetes management strategy overall.