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CAN PLANNED NUTRITION + EXERCISE REVERSE DIABETES? EXPERTS SAY YES!

Blog > Can planned nutrition + exercise reverse diabetes? Experts say YES!

Can planned nutrition + exercise reverse diabetes? Experts say YES!

Published
October 12, 2023
Category
Blog, Food Bulletin Newsletter
Tags
Diabetes, Fact Check, Kitchen Pharmacy

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It is impractical to count the daily calories we eat. So, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of 2000 to 2500 calories/day is largely anecdotal. Also, it is crucial where these calories come from: simple carbs or complex carbs, plant or animal proteins, saturated or unsaturated fats. And computing this is equally hard.

So, the effective regimen is to start from our everyday baseline and make incremental changes to both quantity and quality of calories in our food. Even if we start our new regimen 10 years after the onset, research shows, we can reverse Type 2 diabetes. The 3-point mantra is eat less, eat right & workout more.

Eat less: Very simply, high calorie intake for diabetics leads to excess fat in the liver, leading to excess fat in the pancreas. Consequently, the liver produces more glucose and the pancreas produce lower insulin, both bad outcomes for diabetics.

Eat right: Whole grains, leafy vegetables, beans, healthy fats from nuts, sesame oil, olive oils, and fresh fruits provide your daily macro and phytonutrients. This balanced diet helps slow digestion, improve gut health, prevent sugar spikes and more.

Work out more: Apart from the well-known cardiovascular benefits, exercise lowers insulin resistance in the body and brings down HbA1C in diabetics. Ideally, exercise is recommended 1- 3 hours after eating and not on an empty stomach.

Know the difference: Type 1, Type 2 and gestational diabetes

Type 1 also called juvenile diabetes occurs most often in young children where the body produces little to no insulin, thus requiring daily insulin injections or risk serious complications. To date there is no known cure. But eating the right foods is perhaps as crucial as eating at the right time. Foods with low glycemic load (GL) delay blood sugar spikes and give the body time to respond to the insulin which is synced with mealtime.

Type 2 diabetes makes up 90% of cases & is most common in adults and contributed by our genes and lifestyle. This happens when the body’s insulin is unable to regulate blood glucose effectively (insulin-resistant). A bit easier to control than Type 1. See 3-point mantra above.

Gestational Diabetes is associated with pregnancy. While it typically resolves itself, the mother and children are at increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes in later life. For pregnant women with gestational diabetes, the guidelines are to eat 3 small- medium meals daily without long gaps or snacks in between. But as always, low GI/GL foods are preferred and avoid starches, sugary drinks, fruits juices and desserts.

Legumes: your daily blood sugar defence.

The legume family – beans, lentils, peas are low glycemic foods, important for diabetics. High in fiber and protein, they prevent sugar spikes that cause insulin resistance. High in magnesium, crucial to improving insulin sensitivity in diabetics. Their dense fiber binds and excretes cholesterol from the gut. Eating legumes everyday is easy – in soups, stews, Indian/Asian/South American/Mediterranean recipes.

Whole grains: packed with diabetic-friendly resistant starch

Provided by whole cereals & grains, this starch basically resists digestion in the stomach and small intestine and is fermented by the large intestine. Thereby providing powerful nourishment for good gut bacteria, which in turn produce healthy short chain fatty acids that reduce blood sugar absorption, hasten satiety and enhance insulin sensitivity. What an incredibly beneficial chain reaction!

Vegetables: help reduce blood sugar especially for Type 2 diabetes.

Vegetables provide high fiber, which delays sugar absorption from the gut, preventing post-meal spikes. Fiber in veggies fills us quickly, preventing over-eating. For diabetics, it’s important to reduce intake of starchy vegetables, so limit potatoes, corn, peas, butternut squash. Go heavy on non-starchy greens, white, red or purple veggies. Overall, for diabetics, 1 cup cooked non-starchy veggies in every meal is ideal.

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FOOD FEATURE: SWEET POTATOES

Blog > Food Feature: Sweet Potatoes

Food Feature: Sweet Potatoes

Published
October 11, 2023
Category
Blog, Food Bulletin Newsletter
Tags
Carbohydrates, Diabetes, Fact Check, Fiber, vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C

Food Feature: Sweet Potatoes

Contrary to what their name might suggest, sweet potatoes are actually an edible root in the morning glory family, and unrelated to true potato tubers.

Immediately recognisable by their vibrant orange flesh, sweet potatoes come in a dazzling array of colors from white to cream to purple! True to their name, sweet potatoes have a naturally sweet taste which is enhanced through cooking methods like roasting. In addition to the fleshy root, the leaves are also edible and commonly eaten in some countries.

Today we learn more about the sweet potato, its health benefits and some tips around cooking it.

Potatoes, yams and sweet potatoes; what’s the difference?
When we think of tubers like potatoes, sweet potatoes, yam, cassava, Taro etc. their similarity to grains hardly strikes us, yet tubers and grains are the main source of inexpensive energy in the plant kingdom. At the core of it, they come from botanically different plant families, but they pack serious nutrition. Brown tubers contain decent amounts of Vitamin C and the white & yellow varieties have beta carotene. Sweet Potatoes are nutritionally dense – rich in Vitamin A, (100% DV) Vit C and B6, but in calories and carbs they are similar to potatoes. But these are all good sources of dietary fiber. The wisdom lies in not combining tubers with starch-heavy foods like cereals (rice, wheat, corn etc.), but to enjoy them separately. While corn and potatoes, potato burgers and even aloo parathas are delicious, those double carbs and calories will add up quickly. Moderation may be the key word.

From Central America to the world: the journey of the sweet potato
Sweet potatoes are believed to have originated between Polynesia and Central America, with relics dating back more than 10,000 years that were discovered in Peruvian caves. The Polynesian word for sweet potato – “Kuumala” – closely resembles the word “Kumara” used by Andean natives. Christopher Columbus was thought to have brought sweet potatoes to Europe after his voyage to the New World in the 15th century. By the 16th century, records indicate that Spanish explorers had brought this onto Africa, India, Indonesia and South Asia where it remains a staple food in many cuisines.

Don’t be fooled by its name, sweet potatoes are nutritious!
The bright orange hues of the sweet potato flesh can be attributed to its high levels of beta-carotene. In fact, sweet potatoes contain one of the highest levels of beta-carotene amongst plant-based foods. Couple that with the fact that it is readily available all year round, and you have a standout antioxidant food! To enjoy the full beta carotene benefits, research suggests pairing it with just 1 tbsp of fat to improve the absorption of the fat-soluble beta carotenes. Also rich in fibers and a range of minerals like iron, calcium and B Vitamins and Vitamin C.

Sweet potatoes, carbohydrates and our blood sugar
Starchy root vegetables are usually counterproductive when managing blood sugar levels, as the starch can be converted into simple sugars. Although sweet potatoes have a medium glycemic index rating, it also contains high amounts of fiber and the resulting impact on blood sugar spikes is surprisingly minimal. Initial studies also show that sweet potatoes increase the amount of adiponectin proteins, which in turn are important insulin metabolism modifiers. A quick tip on cooking; the average GI for roasted sweet potatoes is 82, for baked sweet potatoes is 94, but boiled sweet potatoes is 46. Try boiling if you are concerned about blood sugar impact.