It’s easy to find information about diabetes: It’s everywhere! Sadly, not all the information you find can be trusted. There are thousands of myths out there, some based on cultural beliefs and others on home remedies. Here are some facts that we collected about them:
Myth: Aspartame can cause Alzheimer’s disease.
Fact:. Negative allegations that aspartame, an artificial sweetener sold under brand names such as Equal and NutraSweet, may be associated with dementia are not based on science. Leading diabetes authorities, such as the American Diabetes Association, the American Dietetic Association, and the American Medical Association, agree that aspartame is safe for people of all ages, including people with diabetes.
The body breaks down aspartame into the amino acids aspartic acid and phenylalanine, as well as a small amount of methanol. These components are found naturally in foods such as meats, milk, fruits, and vegetables, and in higher amounts than what you’d consume by using aspartame. Your body uses these components in the same way, whether they come from common foods or aspartame. Aspartame, along with other sugar substitutes, offers people with diabetes greater variety and flexibility in food choices and helps them satisfy their sweet tooth.
Myth: Cinnamon can lower blood glucose.
Fact: A few studies have indicated that cinnamon minimally improves blood glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Regular ground cinnamon and cinnamon sticks were used in the studies. The amount suggested was 1/2 teaspoon per day. This amount of cinnamon can be combined in foods such as applesauce or yogurt. However, the research on cinnamon is not conclusive, and the use of cinnamon has not become part of common clinical practice. More research is needed before conclusions can be made about cinnamon’s role in treating diabetes.
Myth: People with diabetes can’t eat sugar.
Fact: The American Diabetes Association (ADA) says sugar (sucrose) may be consumed by people with diabetes as part of their total carbohydrate count.
The current ADA guidelines suggest that people with diabetes should be more concerned about the total amount of carbohydrates you consume instead of the source. People with diabetes also need to be concerned about eating similar amounts of carbohydrates from meal to meal, unless you take insulin several times a day and adjust your doses based on the amount of carbohydrates you eat.
Myth: High-fructose corn syrup can cause type 2 diabetes.
Fact: Consuming high-fructose corn syrup is not the sole factor for the cause of type 2 diabetes. (High-fructose corn syrup has a carbohydrate profile similar to that of white table sugar — about 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose.) However, it is used to sweeten many prepared and commercial foods, and consuming too many foods with high-fructose corn syrup as well as other calorie-containing ingredients increases caloric intake and eventually causes weight gain in some people. It is the weight gain that leads to excess weight. It is excess weight, along with other risk factors, that cause type 2 diabetes.
To avoid consuming high-fructose corn syrup, check the ingredients to see whether a food contains it. Also, check to see how far down on the ingredient list it is. Ingredients are listed in descending order by quantity used (by weight).
Myth: People with diabetes can’t drink alcohol.
Fact: If you want to drink alcohol, you should do so in moderation. However, because people with diabetes may take a number of various medications and have other medical issues that might interact with alcohol, you should check with your doctor as a precaution.
- Moderation is defined by the U.S. government’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans and other organizations as no more than two drinks a day for men and no more than one drink a day for women.
The biggest concern about alcohol intake is low blood glucose several hours after drinking. If you don’t take a blood-glucose-lowering medication, then this is not a concern. If you take medication such as a sulfonylurea or insulin, this could be a problem. Therefore, when you drink alcohol, you should consume it along with food because alcohol affects blood glucose levels less when a person is eating at the same time.
Myth: People with diabetes shouldn’t cook or bake with sugar.
Fact: Actually, you can eat sugar even if you have diabetes. According to the Nutrition Recommendations published by the American Diabetes Association, people with diabetes can consume sugar or sucrose, as long as they count it as part of the total carbohydrates in their meal plan. Usually you will need to substitute the carbohydrate grams from the sugar for the carbohydrate grams from fruit, milk, or starches you normally eat at the meal. Or if you decide to eat more carbohydrates at that meal, you will need increase your insulin dose or adjust your other diabetes medication to keep your blood glucose in your target range. A registered dietitian or certified diabetes educator can teach you to do this properly.
Myth: Daily doses of vinegar will lower blood glucose.
Fact: Some studies on small numbers of people have shown that taking 2 tablespoons of vinegar before a starchy meal can reduce the rise in blood glucose after the meal. But this may not be true for everyone with diabetes. If you want to try it, check your blood glucose two hours after the meal and see if your blood glucose is lower. Make sure you check after several meals before reaching a conclusion about whether the vinegar helps.
Myth: Protein is better than carbs.
Fact: Carbohydrate foods often are maligned, especially when weight loss or blood glucose control is at stake. For good health, our bodies require a balance of all the main nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
We need carbohydrates because they supply the energy our bodies need to function. Carbohydrates turn into glucose (sugar) once they are fully absorbed into the bloodstream.
When you increase the protein in your diet, you tend to increase the fat as well because protein foods usually contain some fat. Higher fat intake can lead to weight gain and high cholesterol. Another important thing to keep in mind is total caloric intake. Regardless of the percentage of proteins, fats, and carbs in your diet, if your total calories are excessive for your needs, weight gain will occur.
Myth: People with diabetes only need to watch how many carbs they eat — that’s all that matters.
Fact: People with type 2 diabetes also commonly have high blood pressure and are at risk for or have heart and blood vessel diseases. Controlling the amount of carbohydrates you eat to control your blood glucose is important. But controlling the amount and type of fat you eat is also important.
These recommendations are part of a healthful eating plan for diabetes.
Myth: Beware fruits and vegetables — they raise blood glucose.
Fact: Before you give up on fruits and vegetables, which are valuable source of nutrients, carefully examine your meals and the portions you eat.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that everyone, including people with diabetes, eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day. Fruits and vegetables are excellent parts of a healthful eating plan. They provide low-calorie sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and they’re relatively low in calories.
If your blood glucose is rising after you eat fruits or vegetables, check your portion sizes, especially for your fruit choices.
Myth: The raw sugar in fruit is bad for people with diabetes.
Fact: Fruit contains a two-unit sugar called a disaccharide, which is about half glucose and half fructose. But all sources of carbohydrates are converted to glucose in the body for energy.
Fruit — whether fresh (raw), canned, dried, packaged with no sugar added, or 100 percent fruit juice — should be part of a healthful eating plan. Fruit provides a good source of energy, vitamins, minerals, and, except for juice, fiber.
Source: http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/
