Diabetes Diet Misconceptions: Do You Really Understand Carbohydrates and Protein?

Diabetes is a common chronic disease. According to data released by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in 2021, the number of diabetes patients in my country (aged 20 to 79) has reached 140 million, which means that one in every 10 adults has diabetes. Moreover, diabetes is no longer a disease of the elderly. The trend of younger people becoming more and more obvious is that many people aged 20 to 30 are diagnosed with diabetes.

However, against the backdrop of the increasing incidence of diabetes, there are still many people who do not know much about diabetes and have many misunderstandings about their diet.

These dietary management measures are incorrect. Every time I hear this, I feel deeply saddened and feel that there is a long way to go in popularizing the scientific knowledge of diabetes nutrition treatment. In particular, the misunderstandings related to carbohydrates and proteins need to be clarified.

1. Misconceptions about carbohydrates

Myth 1: If you want to control blood sugar, you must eliminate or significantly reduce your carbohydrate intake

In order to control blood sugar, many people will eliminate or significantly reduce their carbohydrate intake, but they don’t know that carbohydrates are very important to human health!

Carbohydrates, also known as sugars, include monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides. They are the main energy source for the human body and can provide energy for the body. An appropriate intake of carbohydrates can provide the body with enough energy to meet the normal operation of various organs of the human body and ensure that physiological functions are not damaged. If the intake of carbohydrates is reduced excessively, the body will lack energy, affecting the normal physiological activities of various organs and increasing the risk of hypoglycemia.

Myth 2: All carbohydrates raise blood sugar levels and are not conducive to blood sugar control

This statement is wrong. Because dietary fiber is also a carbohydrate, but it only "passes" through the digestive tract and is not absorbed by the body, so it naturally does not raise blood sugar. Moreover, if diabetic patients properly supplement foods rich in dietary fiber, it can also help control blood sugar. The specific reasons are as follows:

1. Dietary fiber can prolong the absorption time of glucose and prevent a sharp rise in blood sugar after a meal. At the same time, it can delay gastric emptying, so that diabetic patients will not feel hungry for a long time, thereby reducing intake;

2. Studies have shown that long-term intake of dietary fiber can also increase insulin sensitivity and improve insulin resistance.

2. How to choose carbohydrate-containing foods?

The glycemic index is used to measure the effect of various carbohydrate-containing foods on blood sugar after eating. Foods with a low glycemic index stay in the stomach for a long time and are released slowly, which reduces the peak blood sugar level and helps control blood sugar. Common low glycemic index foods in life are as follows:

However, it is also wrong to only consider the glycemic index without considering the amount of food consumed. Although low-glycemic index foods are recommended, even low-glycemic index foods will also increase blood sugar if consumed in large quantities, so it is also necessary to control the intake.

3. Misconceptions about protein

Myth: If a protein diet is recommended, then you should consume a lot of protein

Diabetic patients are no strangers to "protein diet". Some patients understand this to mean that they should eat more high-protein foods. However, this idea is wrong.

A protein diet can help diabetic patients control hunger and reduce the intake of fat and sugary foods. However, the kidneys of diabetic patients already have a heavy sugar load. Excessive protein intake will further increase the burden on the kidneys, which may cause kidney damage in the long term. Therefore, it is recommended that diabetic patients control their protein intake.

4. Plan to control protein intake

1. For diabetic patients with normal renal function, it is recommended to consume 1-1.5 g/kg (body weight) of protein per day. If your weight is 50 kg, it is recommended that the total daily protein intake be 50-75 g, of which high-quality protein should account for more than half of the total protein. Common foods rich in high-quality protein in life include eggs, milk, fish, beef, chicken, etc.

2. If you are a diabetic patient with decreased glomerular filtration rate or overt proteinuria, it is recommended that you control your protein intake to 0.8 g/kg (body weight) per day.

Diet adjustment is a key part of diabetes treatment, and its importance is self-evident. If you have the wrong dietary concept, it is likely to affect sugar control and even cause diabetes complications. Common diabetes complications include hypoglycemia, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, etc. Therefore, diabetic patients should pay attention to cultivating good eating habits and adhere to scientific and personalized diet plans to improve treatment effects and prevent complications.

References:

1. Chinese Medical Association Diabetes Branch. Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes in China (2020 edition) (Part 2) [J]. Chinese Journal of Diabetes, 2021, 13(04): 757-784.

2. Ge Junbo, Xu Yongjian, Wang Chen. Internal Medicine 9th Edition[M]. Beijing: People's Medical Publishing House, 2018: 482-483.